Sovereignty is life or death issue for Russia – top MP
A new study reveals that the healthiest country to age in is Japan, a finding which reflects high quality of life, good healthcare and affordable living. The Netherlands ranks second with a life expectancy of 82.3 years. Portugal stands out with the best climate. A journalist research company Journo Report analysed 200 countries to identify the ones that are the healthiest to age in. The study takes into account life expectancy, age dependency, quality of life, safety, healthcare as well as climate index and happiness ranking. Each of these criteria were analysed to calculate the composite score, by which countries are ranked. The data is taken from open reports by the World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Worldometer. The top ten rankings were: Coming top Japan, with the maximum score of 100, has good healthcare and affordable cost of living. Japan is the second most affordable country on the list and has the longest life expectancy in the ranking with 84.8 years. The Netherlands ranks second in the list of the healthiest countries for aging, with the composite score of 95.1. The country ranks high when it comes to happiness and has the second highest quality of life in the ranking, earning its place in the list. Denmark takes third place, getting a score of 93.7. The life expectancy in Denmark is similar to the Netherlands but the health index is slightly lower. The high quality of life index, one of a few above 200, puts the country in the top-3. Switzerland follows closely with fourth positions and a score of 92.1. It falls behind Denmark or the Netherlands because of the higher cost of living but provides the citizens with solid quality of life and healthcare. Luxembourg is fifth in the ranking of the healthiest countries to age in, with a score of 91.6. The country ranks just above Switzerland in overall happiness and has the highest quality of life. Compared to other countries, it has a lower climate index influencing its place in the ranking. Spain ranks sixth, earning a score of 90.9. The average life expectancy here is 83.3 years and the country has the second most favourable climate in the top-10. Compared to Luxembourg or Switzerland, Spain falls behind in quality of life but compensates with a well-built healthcare system. In seventh place is South Korea, scoring 89.7. The age dependency ratio in South Korea is the lowest in the list at 10 percent, showing that older people rarely depend on the younger generation. Finland takes eighth place, with a score of 89.2. The country is considered to be happiest in the world, coupled with high quality of life and good healthcare. Austria is ninth, getting a score of 88.5. The life expectancy here is similar to Finland. Portugal closes the ranking of the healthiest countries for aging with tenth place and a score of 87. The country has the best climate in the ranking which is important for older people. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.COLUMBUS, Ga. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) announced today that it will webcast its annual Financial Analysts Briefing on December 3, 2024 at starting 8:00 a.m. (ET) . Aflac's executive management will discuss the Company's operations and strategy for the U.S. and Japan , as well as its medium-term outlook. The presentations will be available via webcast, and you must register here prior to the event. Presentation slides will be posted on investors.aflac.com after the market closes on December 2, 2024 , and an archive of the presentations will also be available on investors.aflac.com for two weeks following the conclusion of the webcast. ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL ), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment ( PRI ) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under " Sustainability ." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young , 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com Media contact - Ines Gutzmer , 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-incorporated-to-webcast-2024-financial-analysts-briefing-302313462.html SOURCE Aflac Incorporated
Over 4,000 Imran Khan supporters arrested ahead of Islamabad protest
Judge rejects request to sideline SJSU volleyball playerTwo CMFRI scientists earn prestigious NAAS recognition
Imphal, Dec 28 (PTI) Normal life was affected in the five districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday due to a bandh called over the arrest of six armed men and the death of one in a gunfight with the police in Thoubal on December 14. Shops and other commercial establishments were closed, while public vehicles remained off the road. Also Read | ISRO's SpaDeX Mission Set for December 30 Launch To Achieve Historic Space Docking Feat: Minister of Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh. Supporters of the bandh, called by the Joint Action Committee, demonstrated in the middle of the road and burnt tyres at Lamphel Sanakeithel in Imphal West. In Bishnupur district, bandh supporters vandalised four-wheelers that were out on the roads. Also Read | Amethi Shocker: Woman Found Hanging in Uttar Pradesh; Husband Accuses Police Constable of Murder. The 24-hour shutdown began at 6 pm on Friday. It was supported by the students' and women's wings of the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a conglomeration of several Meitei civil society bodies. Police said that the six persons it arrested and the one killed in the gunfight at Salungpham in Thoubal were members of the banned outfit PREPAK who were allegedly involved in extortion activities. A large cache of arms and ammunition, including those robbed from police armouries, were recovered from their possession, officials said. However, the bandh supporters contended that they were 'village volunteers', protecting their neighbourhoods from armed Kuki men. More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups in Manipur since May last year. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Rokmaster Resources (CVE:RKR) Shares Down 25% – Here’s Why
OAKLAND — The plea deal for a Vallejo man who killed his former friend during an encounter near a West Oakland skate park has gone through as planned, but not until after the victim’s family decried it as an injustice. “I believe you should be given 25-years-to-life,” the cousin of Andrew Tavares, who was shot and killed in 2022 , told Vallejo resident Sean Struckus just before Struckus was sentenced. She later added, “I’m a firm believer that karma exists and comes around in different ways. May you be haunted by Andrew’s spirit and live with your demons to the fullest.” Initially charged with murder, Struckus was recently allowed to plead no contest to voluntary manslaughter in Tavares’ death. He was formally sentenced on Oct. 30 to three years in prison as part of a plea deal with Alameda County prosecutors, court records show. Struckus was released from jail within days of being sentenced, after a judge found that he’d served most of it while awaiting a resolution in his case, court records show. Struckus and Tavares had been friends and were both involved in the local graffiti scene, but had a falling out shortly before the April 26, 2022 shooting. On that night, Tavares and friends had stopped their car in West Oakland when Struckus showed up and killed Tavares after a brief confrontation, according to police. When he was arrested, Struckus allegedly tried to blame another tagger and denied involvement in the shooting, according to a transcript of the preliminary hearing. Witnesses later told authorities that Tavares had a gun in his possession, leading to Struckus’ attorney to raise a self-defense theory. Tavares’ mother said that was all “lies” that left her “devastated.” She said she doesn’t believe it was an accident or self-defense. Similarly, Tavares’ cousin blamed the deal on “politics.” “(Andrew) was a part of our family and was deeply loved and will always be missed beyond words. Andrew had a kind heart and a generous spirit and he brought light into our lives,” Tavares’ mom, Dana Adona, said at the hearing. “There is nothing in this world that can change the love we feel for him or the emptiness left by his absence.”Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride described her first week on Capitol Hill after being elected as the first openly transgender member of Congress as a “crash course in the dysfunction" and "performance art” of the federal legislature. McBride, 34, recently returned home from new member orientation on Capitol Hill, where the Democrat was welcomed with attacks from her Republican colleagues who successfully pushed for her to be banned from the women’s bathrooms. Republican lawmakers’ response to McBride’s history-making election morphed attacks on transgender people that played out in GOP campaigns into a personal attack on their colleague. But McBride, who did not campaign on her identity, largely avoided entertaining the attacks. She declined media interviews about the subject and instead issued statements describing the attacks as a manufactured culture war and distraction from issues like the cost of living, saying she’s “not here to fight about bathrooms.” “I will tell you, over the last week I’ve had a crash course in the dysfunction of Congress, and, in some cases, the performance art of Congress,” she said at an awards ceremony during the orientation hosted by Future Coalition, a bipartisan organization for Gen Z and Millennial state and federal lawmakers. “And so it is good for my soul to be in a room full of Democrats and Republicans who understand that our job is to roll up our sleeves, dive into the detail, bring people together to make government work better. That is our job.” In social media posts on Monday, McBride shared highlights from her second and final week of orientation, including the awards ceremony last Wednesday. In the keynote speech , McBride said she believes people across the country “of every ideological background” are facing what she called “their own crisis of hope” that’s rooted in a fear of no longer being able to “meet the scope and the scale of the challenges that we face” both individually and collectively. She said this fear is based on a “fierce competition for pain” between political parties and the toxicity of viewing others as enemies rather than neighbors. She told the young lawmakers that they have a “heightened responsibility” to prove they can work together effectively and practice “radical grace and compassion” to help find solutions for constituents. “And that’s a tall order in Congress right now, and so it particularly falls on your shoulders in state legislatures to live that truth,” McBride said. Other highlights shared Monday included the relationships she made with congress members on both sides of the aisle at orientation and getting lost in the tunnels that run underneath the vast Capitol. McBride also managed to secure her first-choice office after picking “lucky number 13′′ in the Congressional office lottery, she said on social media. McBride shouted out “fellow Swifties ” in the post, since Taylor Swift considers 13 her lucky number and it holds significance for her fan base . She said she spoke to media about her campaign priorities of guaranteeing affordable health care, housing, and child care, and that she met with entrepreneurs about bringing jobs to Delaware and expanding home ownership opportunities. On a more personal note, McBride shared a photo on Instagram with former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, who is now a U.S. ambassador to Italy, and former Delaware First Lady Carla Markel back in her home state on Sunday. McBride said the couple has mentored and supported her throughout her life, and that “next to my family, no two people have done more for me.” ©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BREAKING NEWS Coleen Rooney slams 'dirty b**tard' Donald Trump as she stuns her I'm A Celeb campmates by recalling unlikely meeting with 'very orange' President elect at the White House during his first term Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com Follow DailyMail.com's politics live blog for all the latest news and updates By DOLLY BUSBY IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA and POPPY ATKINSON GIBSON FOR MAILONLINE Published: 16:08 EST, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 16:31 EST, 24 November 2024 e-mail 31 shares 19 View comments Coleen Rooney branded Donald Trump a ‘dirty b**tard’ after he told his son she was proof that ‘all the soccer players get the good looking girls’. She made the revelation to her fellow I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestants as she spoke about her time living in Washington DC in 2018 with husband Wayne, when he was head coach at DC United. She said: ‘When we lived in America, we were invited to the White House for Christmas , and we went in to meet Donald Trump. And we walked in and we got to get the official photograph taken in front of the Christmas tree. ‘So Donald Trump said to his son, “See? Told ya, all the soccer players get the good looking girls”... I was like, “dirty b**tard”.’ She also claimed that President Trump was keen for her husband to take his young son Barron under his wing. Coleen Rooney branded Donald Trump a ‘dirty b**tard’ after he told his young son she was proof that ‘all the soccer players get the good looking girls’ Coleen, Wayne and two of their children visited the White House, where they met then US President Donald Trump, in 2018 Former DC United player-coach Rooney at The White House after being invited as a guest of honour ‘He wanted Wayne to go over to teach his son to play football,' she revealed. After Rooney's surprising revelation, McFly star Danny Jones had one burning question to ask the WAG about her visit to see Trump. He asked: 'Is he that orange?' To which she confirmed: 'He was very orange!' The anecdote came as she faced her Bushtucker Trial last night and forced to lie in a sea of cockroaches and rats - a far cry from the luxuries of her £20million Cheshire mansion. And the 38-year-old only has her husband, the former England football captain, to blame after he told his vast social media following how much he ‘would love’ to see her voted in for a challenge. His calls were answered as during Saturday’s episode, Rooney received the highest votes to face the trial alongside the BBC Radio 1 presenter, Dean McCullough, 32. Dubbed Absolute Carnage, the trial saw her lay in a tin tumbler as insects crawled all over her. Surprised by his own influence over the public vote, the Plymouth Argyle manager responded: ‘I could be in trouble here. Good luck!’ Trump will be sworn into office for his second term as US President in January Coleen made the revelation to her fellow I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestants as she spoke about her time living in Washington DC in 2018 with husband Wayne The anecdote came as she faced her Bushtucker Trial last night and forced to lie in a sea of cockroaches and rats - a far cry from the luxuries of her £20million Cheshire mansion No doubt husband and their four sons, Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, five, no doubt watched on gleefully as she managed to win nine out of the 12 stars. Rooney revealed on the I’m A Celeb Unpacked spin-off that he was missing his wife of 16 years ‘so much’ as the past two weeks have been they haven’t spoken since meeting as teenagers on their council estate of Croxteth in Liverpool . The former Manchester United star said: ‘We are missing her so much and it’s been the longest I’ve been without speaking to her since we were kids. ‘For the children, it’s difficult obviously, because not being able to speak to their mum. ‘Coleen’s parents are helping out massively because obviously, I’m over in Plymouth living there at the minute with my work.' He added: 'It's strange to be honest seeing her out there in the jungle. She's doing a great job showing her character and personality. She's doing us all proud.' Coleen with campmate Dean McCullough during Sunday's instalment of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! She also claimed that President Trump was keen for her husband to take his young son Barron under his wing The former England footballer added the viewers are getting to see the real Coleen. 'She is a warm and caring person. It's great to see her bridging the gap between the older and younger ones and settling in.' When asked how much he and their four boys Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight and Cass, six were missing her, Wayne admitted it's been tough. 'It's the longest I've been without speaking to her since we were kids,' he revealed. Wayne added he hoped to see Coleen take on one of the show's infamous challenges saying: 'I'd love to see her doing a trial. That's what going out there is all about – testing yourself. 'She'd be really good at the trials, and it would be great for her to have that experience.' The football legend also confessed he and the rest of the family are huge fans of the show and that he wouldn't mind making an appearance. 'We watch it most years when we can. The celebrity version is the one we always said we'd do. 'Maybe I'd try it one day if I'm not working, but it's not possible right now.' Meanwhile, the mother-of-four has been targeted with vile misogynist chants by Watford football fans as their team played her husband’s Plymouth Argyle. Shamed supporters were heard making sexual slurs at the game on Friday night, as chants of ‘she’s getting s****ed in the jungle’ could be heard during live coverage of the match on Sky Sports. Donald Trump Coleen Rooney DC United Share or comment on this article: Coleen Rooney slams 'dirty b**tard' Donald Trump as she stuns her I'm A Celeb campmates by recalling unlikely meeting with 'very orange' President elect at the White House during his first term e-mail 31 shares Add comment
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Nifty 50 Today Live Updates on December 30, 2024: At 09:00 Nifty 50 was trading at 23813.4 (0.27%). Today Nifty 50 has been trading in the range of 23938.85 to 23800.6. Nifty futures are at 23992.65 (0.0%) & with an open interest change of 4.55% which indicates Continuation of bullish trend in near future. Nifty 50 Today Live Updates: Resistance & Support levels for Nifty at 09:00 Nifty 50 Today Live Updates: At current prices Nifty 50, faces the below Resistance and Support levels Nifty 50 price live: Nifty 50 closed at 23750.2 on the last trading day On the last trading day, the Nifty 50 closed at 23,750.2. This closing price reflects the market's performance and investor sentiment on that day. For a more comprehensive analysis, factors such as market trends, sector performance, and economic indicators leading up to this close would typically be considered. However, based solely on the closing figure, it indicates the value of the index at that specific point in time.UN chief Antonio Guterres saddened by death of former prime minister Manmohan SinghShares of are in focus on Monday morning after the wind energy solutions provider in a filing to stock exchanges said it has received highest ratings for its short-term facilities. Inox Wind said it received 'ACUITE A1+’, the highest rating for short term bank facilities, covering Inox Wind's non-fund based limits, which primarily include letter of credits (LC) and bank guarantees (BG). This is the highest possible rating for such facilities ascribed by Acuité to corporates in India, it said. Besides, Inox Wind received ‘ACUITE A+' with 'Stable' rating assigned on its long term bank facilities. Inox Wind said since its balance sheet is already net cash positive, such facilities are rarely utilised for cash management purposes only. Acuité's ratings on Inox Wind facilities factor in an established track record of operations, healthy order book, and improved financial performance, thereby reducing the risk profile of the company substantially, the company informed stock exchnages. Inox Wind's robust order book of 3.5 GW is supported by a strong order pipeline, higher project execution, as well as its expertise in manufacturing and technology, and provides large growth visibility in revenue and profitability going ahead, Acuité Ratings said. Inox Wind is a fully integrated player in the wind energy market with four manufacturing plants in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, where blades, tubular towers and Hubs & Nacelles are manufactured. Inox Wind's subsidiary, Inox Green Energy Services Ltd, is the only listed wind O&M services company in India. Through its other subsidiary, Resco Global Wind Services Pvt Ltd, Inox WInd provides EPC services for wind projects and develops common infrastructure, including power evacuation infrastructure, for renewable projects. Inox Wind recently bagged a 60 MW order from Serentica Renewables (Serentica), a leading C&I focused renewable energy company in India. This order is for the supply of 3 MW class turbines to be delivered within H1 CY25. The NOXGFL Group, recently announced its foray into solar manufacturing through Inox Solar, a privately held entity by the promoters. Aiming to be one of the fastest growing solar platforms in the country, Inox Solar is targeting an initial capacity of 5 GW of solar modules and 2.5 GW of solar cell manufacturing capacity by 2026, at an outlined capex of Rs 1,500 crore. The company will also provide turnkey EPC solutions, including land acquisition & power evacuation, through its group company Inox Renewable Solutions Ltd (Resco Global Wind Services Ltd.). Additionally, it will offer post commissioning O&M services through another group company Inox Green Energy Services.
SEOUL: South Korean law enforcement officials on Monday requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree on Dec 3 amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant from the Seoul Western District Court. They plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Yoon has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors to appear for questioning and has also blocked searches of his offices. It's not clear whether the court will grant the warrant or whether Yoon can be compelled to appear for questioning. Under the country's laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge, and it's unlikely that Yoon will voluntarily leave his residence if he faces detainment. Yoon's presidential powers were suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec 14 over his imposition of martial law that lasted only hours but has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled financial markets. Yoon's fate now lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Yoon from office or reinstate him. Yoon has defended the martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, describing it as a warning against the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has been bogging down his agenda with its majority in the parliament. Parliament voted last week to also impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had assumed the role of acting president after Yoon's powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court's review of Yoon's case. The country's new interim leader is Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also finance minister.
The Latest: State funeral for Jimmy Carter will be Jan. 9
Malik kicked off his Stairway To The Sky tour in Leeds’s O2 Academy on Saturday (November 23) after rescheduling the original opening dates in Edinburgh due to Payne’s funeral on Wednesday (November 20). The Pillow Talk singer reunited with his fellow bandmates at the private service in Buckinghamshire to pay their final respects to Payne, following his death aged 31 in Argentina last month. Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne at his concert in Leeds tonight. 🤍🕊️ pic.twitter.com/6M2ft26rsx Images shared on social media from Malik’s gig show a message was displayed on a large blue screen behind the singer which said: “Liam Payne 1993-2024. Love you bro” with a pink heart. The 31-year-old previously postponed the US leg of his Stairway To The Sky tour over the “heartbreaking loss” of Payne. He later rescheduled the Edinburgh shows, planned for November 20 and 21, to December due to “unforeseen circumstances”. Following the death of Payne, Malik said he “never got to thank” his fellow bandmate for supporting him through some of the “most difficult” times in his life. A post shared by Zayn Malik (@zayn) “I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly”, he added in a statement shared to Instagram. “I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever. “There is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. “I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro.” Recommended reading: The singer rose to fame alongside Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan when Simon Cowell put them together to form One Direction on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2010. Malik left One Direction in 2015 before the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, with the members all going on to pursue their own solo careers. Malik is set to perform a string of dates in the UK, including shows in London, Wolverhampton, Newcastle and Manchester, throughout the final two months of this year before kicking off the US leg in January.Revealed: The number of Ipswich families living in temporary accommodation
The Louisville Cardinals host a ranked team for the second time this week when the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils pay a visit on Sunday, and the Cardinals hope for a better outcome in the teams' Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Louisville (5-3) has lost two straight, including an 86-63 thrashing at home by No. 23 Ole Miss in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday. The visiting Rebels shot 56.7 percent and dominated inside with a 48-26 edge on points in the paint. Tuesday's game was the first for coach Pat Kelsey's team without Kasean Pryor, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. The 6-foot-10 senior wing, a transfer from South Florida, was a key player early on for Louisville, averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and blocking eight shots in seven games. Pryor is the latest Cardinals player to go down with an injury. Before the season started, the school announced center Aly Khalifa and guard Kobe Rodgers would redshirt due to injuries. Then just two games into the season, Aboubacar Traore broke his arm and Koren Johnson injured his shoulder. Traore is expected back this season, but Johnson announced earlier this week that he would also redshirt this season and undergo surgery. Besides the injuries, the Cardinals are also struggling to hit 3-point shots, a key facet to Kelsey's offense. Louisville entered Saturday 340th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.3 percent and seventh nationally averaging 31.6 attempts per game. Despite the woes, Kelsey told reporters after the Ole Miss loss that he doesn't plan to change his offense, adding that he believes in his players. "The percentages even themselves out," he said. "This has happened before. I just don't want our guys to lose confidence, because I really, really believe in them. They'll bounce back and be better on Sunday." The Blue Devils (6-2) won their SEC/ACC Challenge game on Wednesday, beating No. 2 Auburn 84-78 in Durham. Duke overcame a 13-2 deficit to get the Quadrant 1 victory on its resume. Coach Jon Scheyer's team shot 50 percent from the field and committed just four turnovers. It was just the 14th time in program history the Blue Devils had four or fewer turnovers in a game. Freshman Cooper Flagg, a preseason All-American and a contender for national player of the year awards, leads the Blue Devils in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and blocked shots (1.4 per game). He scored 22, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out four assists in the win against the Tigers, but it was another freshman who stole the show. Isaiah Evans came off the bench to score 18 points and hit 6 of 8 3-point shots. The guard averages 9.4 points per game but has only played in five games and has yet to play more than 17 minutes in a contest. Scheyer told reporters after the win that Evans provided a "special moment" when his team needed a lift. "To have that amazing courage to come into this game and do what he did -- I'm not sure if I've ever been a part of something like that in my years here," Scheyer said. --Field Level Media
If your last week of the year is anything like mine, it's all about munching on those Christmas leftovers while watching the Boxing Day Test and wading through the big pile of books Santa generously dropped down the chimney. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue This year, the tome that made the biggest thud as it landed under our Christmas tree was Australian Lustre: Places, spaces and things by Trent Mitchell. It's one of those books you can dip in and out of, like between a few lazy laps at Manuka Pool or body surfs at Broulee. And it's not because it has standalone chapters - rather because it's a photographic record of that annual holiday tradition for many: the road trip. However, Australian Lustre isn't a compilation of glossy, set-up shots that have been photoshopped to fill tourist brochures, cram influencers Instagram feeds or adorn those calendars that you scored for Christmas and are now already 50 per cent off at the mall. No, this is Australia through Trent Mitchell's eyes. And dare I say it, it's the real Australia. Photographer Trent Mitchell loves the ocean, but his latest book Australian Lustre he takes the reader on a road trip around Australia. Picture by Trent Mitchell Australian Lustre features more than 300 photographs of places Trent visited as kid or wanted to; and has since (re)visited on hundreds of road trips as an adult. Trent's insatiable ache for the road trip dates to Christmas holidays as a kid when his parents would load the family wagon and drive up the NSW coast to caravan parks. View + 6 Photos His wonderfully evocative memory of the Budgewoi caravan park on the Central Coast, published in the foreword, suggests he should write more to accompany his photos. "The caravan park was wedged between an enormous open sharky beach and a smelly stagnant lake that gave you pelican itch. Across the water, a power station loomed as the centrepiece to our sunset view. The air was thick with salt, glazing everything with a distinctive coastal patina. Most things would decay in the elements. Bikes and barbecues tended to go first. The hard sun and open space didn't help, yet the heat was perfect for fish and chips, bare feet and ice cream." Those childhood summers left an indelible impact on Trent. "During these never-ending holidays our family existed in a quintessentially Australian world, and the experiences were etched deep into the corners of my subconscious, truly informing the curiosity and passion that I carry with me on the road now," he reveals. Trent admits he pines for those simple summer days and loves pointing his camera to the past, "holding onto those cherished slices of time in hope to infuse the reflections and feelings into pictures". And boy does he do it well, leading us on a nostalgic journey through the holidays of not only his own childhood, but, if you grew up in Australia in the mid-to-late-1900s, probably yours too. His take on Big Things sums up his idiosyncratic style. Goulburn's Big Merino appears at its best angle - some kids gathered, gawking questionably at its posterior. Meanwhile, he captures the Big Prawn poking its garish head over the roof of a three-bedroom brick veneer house in a Ballina cul-de-sac on bin day. You won't see this view of Ballina's Big Prawn in the tourist brochures. Picture by Trent Mitchell "I'm always looking for an interesting point of view or something that has an unexpected look to it. With the prawn I was seeing how far away I could go with it still standing out without all the clutter around it," he explains. While Trent has a real zeal for outback outposts such as Coober Pedy - he admits he could "publish a whole book on that town" - plenty of coastal shots made their way into the book too, including former Gold Coast motels in various states of (dis)repair. He also has a thing about out-of-place Hills Hoists. Those with beach views, those adorned with just a Santa hat, a piece of tinsel and a pair of undies, to those abandoned in a parched desert landscape. Hills Hoist in Coober Pedy, South Australia. Picture by Trent Mitchell Trent says that when he arrives somewhere, "he wanders the backstreets to see what makes a place tick, not just drive down the main street - I go into the back streets, am curious, what's around that corner, check out all sorts of nooks and crannies." No doubt, that's how an unbalanced skateboarder attempting tricks in a deserted Aldi loading bay and a discarded giant yellow smiling golf ball abandoned in someone's driveway also ended up in the book. Fore! The things you see in people's driveways. Palm Beach, Queensland. Picture by Trent Mitchell While some road trips result in more Kodak moments than others, given he is on the road so much, sometimes Trent just happens to be in the right place and at the right time, such as when he visited the Big Koala at Dadswells Bridge in Victoria. "I was trying to work out how to best photograph it, when suddenly a caravan pulled up with the slogan 'home amongst the gum trees' splashed across its tailgate," he muses, adding, "It was perfect." The Big (Giant) Koala at Dadswells Bridge, Victoria. Picture by Trent Mitchell Trent is currently planning a six-month lap of the country for later this year with his own young family to add to Australian Lustre for a second edition. "It's easy photographing, as I don't have to plan anything," he says adding, "I just do it." Mmm. Sounds a bit like my next week relaxing on the couch. Australian Lustre: Places, spaces and things by Trent Mitchell quickly sold out. Picture by supplied. Although only published a month ago, Trent's book has already sold out, but he does have a waitlist for reprints and future editions. trentmitchell.com Long live the Desert Wave In this corresponding column last year, I wrote about the apparent demise of the "desert wave" - that friendly wave exchanged between passing motorists on country roads. Since then, I've received a constant stream of correspondence from readers reporting that, at least in remote areas, the wave is alive and well. "We recently did a trip from Canberra to Alice Springs, via Broken Hill, and back via the South Australian peninsulas," Marica Denman says. "We waved to everybody, and most waved back." Peter Longhurst, of Cooma, who has travelled "most of Australia over the past 17 years with a camper trailer on many dirt roads", confirms "the desert wave is still alive in all outback areas of the country". "Travelling with a camper trailer for 15 years and now a caravan, the wave between these drivers still exists, along with ute drivers with swags," reports Peter, adding, "the only drivers that do not wave are generally motorhome drivers". "I can only assume that they have rented their motorhomes and therefore think they are above the humble van and trailer travellers," he says. Meanwhile, Brian Macdonald, of Cook, suspects the desert wave is dying "because the closing speed between two vehicles is now over 200kmh meaning drivers are more intent on avoiding a head-on collision than acknowledging the other driver." Is the friendly desert wave still alive and well? Picture by Tim the Yowie Man That said, Brian believes you have a much higher chance of receiving a return wave if you are driving a similar vehicle. "I drive a VW van and often exchange the V (or peace) sign when with other VWs." Similarly, Maureen Bell reveals drivers of old Peugeots have a secret signal. "We wave, beep or flick high beam at other drivers of Pugs," reports Maureen, adding, "perhaps it's the attraction of membership of a minority." WHERE ON THE SOUTH COAST? Recognise this landmark building circa 1910? Picture supplied Rating: Medium-Hard Clue: Yes, it's still there. Not far from a beach pool. How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au The first correct email received after 10am, Saturday, December 28, wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema . Did you recognise this south coast beach? Picture by J Asche Last week: Congratulations to Judi Power Thomson, of Ainslie, who was first to identify last week's photo as Merry Beach, near Kioloa, taken from near the Snapper Point walking track. Judi just beat several readers including Gwenyth Bray, of Curtin; Ann Smith, of Curtin, and Ian Boyd, of Croobyar (near Milton), to the last prize for 2024. I'd love to see a rephotograph of the same spot now, so if you are near Merry Beach this summer, and happen to take a photo, please send it to me at the address at the end of this column. Penguin or Horseshoe: you decide Steve Leahy was perplexed by the "think outside 'the penguin" clue that accompanied the photo of Jerrabomberra Waterhole recently in this column's photo quiz. When I explained to Steve the clue related to the ACT border resembling a penguin (Jerrabomberra being in NSW), he was equally bemused. "I always thought the ACT looked like a kookaburra," he asserts. Steve has a point - there's a resemblance to both creatures. Did You Know: If former surveyor-general Charles Scrivener had his way we may have ended up with a horseshoe-shaped border that included the Queanbeyan and Molonglo River catchments instead of the Gudgenby, Naas and Paddys River catchments. The ACT was initially proposed to be a horseshoe shape, that included the Queanbeyan and Molonglo River catchments. Picture supplied Season's Greetings to all readers. Thank you for all the letters, emails and photos submitted throughout the year. As is tradition, this column won't be taking a break over the holiday season, so keep sending in those reports of quirky, mysterious and unusual sightings. CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times , GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601 Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Tim the Yowie Man Tim the Yowie Man is a Canberra Times columnist, and an intrepid adventurer, mystery investigator, and cryptonaturalist. Tim the Yowie Man is a Canberra Times columnist, and an intrepid adventurer, mystery investigator, and cryptonaturalist. More from Canberra More details revealed of Geocon's plans for the Phillip Pool redevelopment 26m ago No comment s Trump wins the election and now liberals can't stand to watch the news 26m ago No comment s Voters across the world are resentful and angry and are lashing out 26m ago No comment s Red tape and fine print won't make the world a better place for not for profits 26m ago No comment s When a heartbreaking Christmas tradition was about to fall apart, the community stepped up 26m ago No comment s Thought that friendly 'Desert Wave' was dead? 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Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) Shares Sold by U S Global Investors Inc.Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the season due to a broken collarbone, head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed on Monday, leaving the Raiders with a short week to determine their starter. Minshew suffered the injury when he was sacked and landed on his left shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Las Vegas' 29-19 home loss to the Denver Broncos. Former starter Aidan O'Connell, who was sidelined by a thumb injury in Week 7, could return off injured reserve in time for the Raiders (2-9) to face the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs (10-1) on Friday in Kansas City. "We'll see if Aidan is good to go," Pierce said. "He's been ramping up." O'Connell entered the 21-day practice window on Monday as the Raiders determine when to activate him. "Seeing him able to grip the ball comfortable, hopefully, no pain there, and just being able to be efficient," Pierce said. "To put a player out there that's hurting or injured still, that's not to the benefit of the player or our team." O'Connell, 26, has played in four games this season, starting two (both losses). He is 52 of 82 (63.4 percent) for 455 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As a rookie last season, O'Connell started 10 of 11 games, going 5-5, and completed 213 of 343 passes (62.1 percent) for 2,218 yards, 12 TDs and seven interceptions. The Raiders selected O'Connell in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. "Obviously at the quarterback position, you've got to be smart," Pierce said. "I think with Aidan, his future's much brighter looking ahead. ... I'll have to really rely on our doctors and medical staff." Desmond Ridder replaced Minshew and went 5 of 10 for 64 yards. Ridder, 25, has appeared in three games this season for Las Vegas and is 16 of 26 (61.5 percent) for 138 yards and one TD. Ridder played the previous two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the third round of the 2022 draft. For his career, he is 338 of 529 (63.9 percent) for 3,682 yards, 15 TDs and 12 interceptions in 22 games (17 starts, 8-9 record). Minshew, 28, completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Broncos. He finished his first season with the Raiders with 2,013 yards, nine TDs and 10 picks on 66.3 percent passing. He joined the Raiders in free agency after stints in Jacksonville (2019-20), Philadelphia (2021-22) and Indianapolis (2023) and won the starting job in camp. But he was benched multiple times for O'Connell as the Raiders struggled as a team. --Field Level Media
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Airline staffer arrested for sexual assaultNorthwestern women blank Saint Joseph's 5-0 to win second national championship in field hockeyNorthwestern women blank Saint Joseph's 5-0 to win second national championship in field hockeyAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board voted Friday to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools under optional new curriculum that could test boundaries between religion and public classrooms in the U.S. The material adopted by the Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by elected Republicans, passed in a 8-7 final vote over criticism that the lessons would proselytize to young learners and alienate students of faiths other than Christianity. Supporters argued the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich lessons. The vote allows schools in Texas, which has more than 5 million public school students, to begin using the material in kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms as early as next year. Republican lawmakers celebrated the vote, including Texas' powerful lieutenant governor, who has pledged to pass legislation next year that would follow Louisiana in trying to require schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Texas' approval “is an important step to boosting student outcomes statewide,” Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted on social media. Schools are not required to use the material, but those that do would receive extra funding from the state. In the newly approved kindergarten materials, one lesson on helping one’s neighbor instructs teachers to talk about the Golden Rule using lessons from the Bible. It also instructs the teachers to explain that the Bible is “a collection of ancient texts” and that its different parts are “the core books of the Jewish and Christian religions.” In a third-grade lesson about the first Thanksgiving, the material directs teachers to discuss how the governor of Plymouth said a prayer and gave a speech that included references to “several passages from the Christian Bible in the book of Psalms.” Teachers are then instructed to tell students the book of Psalms is a collection of songs, poems and hymns “that are used in both Jewish and Christian worship.” With the new curriculum, Texas would be the first state to introduce Bible lessons in schools in this manner, according to Matthew Patrick Shaw, an assistant professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University. Whether the lesson plans will be considered constitutional is up in the air, he said. The Texas Education Agency, which oversees public education for more than 5 million students statewide, created its own instruction materials after a law passed in 2023 by the GOP-controlled Legislature required the agency to do so. The lesson plans were publicly released this spring. “This curriculum is not age-appropriate or subject matter appropriate in the way that it presents these Bible stories,” said Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Children who would read the material, she said, “are simply too young to tell the difference between what is a faith claim and what is a matter of fact.” Mary Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, a right-leaning advocacy group, said there are “close to 300 common-day phrases that actually come from the Bible” and that students “will benefit from being able to understand a lot of these references.” More than 100 people testified at a board meeting this week that rung with emotion from parents, teachers and advocates. One Democrat on the board, Rebecca Bell-Metereau, said the inclusion of religions in addition to Christianity in the materials was not an “adequate attempt to change that bias.” “It seems to me like it is trying to place a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” she said. One of the board members, Leslie Recine, is a Republican who was appointed to the board just weeks ago by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to temporarily fill a vacant seat. She voted in favor of the curriculum. Days after her appointment, a Democrat who ran unopposed was elected to fill that same board seat starting next year. Texas' plans to implement Biblical teachings in public school lesson plans is the latest effort by Republican-controlled states to bring religion into the classroom. In Louisiana, a law to place the Ten Commandments in all public classrooms was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed the bill into law in June, prompting a group of Louisiana public school parents of different faiths to sue. In Oklahoma, the state's top education official has tried to incorporate the Bible into lesson plans for children in fifth through 12th grades. A group of teachers and parents recently filed a lawsuit to stop the Republican state superintendent's plan and his efforts to spend $3 million to purchase Bibles for public schools. Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. LaFleur reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report.
Two months after reopening, Southside church offers free Thanksgiving meals to communityLas Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the season due to a broken collarbone, head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed on Monday, leaving the Raiders with a short week to determine their starter. Minshew suffered the injury when he was sacked and landed on his left shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Las Vegas' 29-19 home loss to the Denver Broncos. Former starter Aidan O'Connell, who was sidelined by a thumb injury in Week 7, could return off injured reserve in time for the Raiders (2-9) to face the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs (10-1) on Friday in Kansas City. "We'll see if Aidan is good to go," Pierce said. "He's been ramping up." O'Connell entered the 21-day practice window on Monday as the Raiders determine when to activate him. "Seeing him able to grip the ball comfortable, hopefully, no pain there, and just being able to be efficient," Pierce said. "To put a player out there that's hurting or injured still, that's not to the benefit of the player or our team." O'Connell, 26, has played in four games this season, starting two (both losses). He is 52 of 82 (63.4 percent) for 455 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As a rookie last season, O'Connell started 10 of 11 games, going 5-5, and completed 213 of 343 passes (62.1 percent) for 2,218 yards, 12 TDs and seven interceptions. The Raiders selected O'Connell in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. "Obviously at the quarterback position, you've got to be smart," Pierce said. "I think with Aidan, his future's much brighter looking ahead. ... I'll have to really rely on our doctors and medical staff." Desmond Ridder replaced Minshew and went 5 of 10 for 64 yards. Ridder, 25, has appeared in three games this season for Las Vegas and is 16 of 26 (61.5 percent) for 138 yards and one TD. Ridder played the previous two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the third round of the 2022 draft. For his career, he is 338 of 529 (63.9 percent) for 3,682 yards, 15 TDs and 12 interceptions in 22 games (17 starts, 8-9 record). Minshew, 28, completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Broncos. He finished his first season with the Raiders with 2,013 yards, nine TDs and 10 picks on 66.3 percent passing. He joined the Raiders in free agency after stints in Jacksonville (2019-20), Philadelphia (2021-22) and Indianapolis (2023) and won the starting job in camp. But he was benched multiple times for O'Connell as the Raiders struggled as a team. --Field Level Media
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Photo: The Canadian Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.” Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team,” Michael Andretti posted on social media. “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!” The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti’s dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA . The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they’ve already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti’s application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1’s current grid. “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. “Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” F1 said in a statement. “Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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Skincare fans are rushing to snap up a Boots Star Gift that saves £55 on a selection of Liz Earle favourites . The health and beauty retailer has launched the discounted gift set ahead of Black Friday, and it’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves a pamper. Worth £93, the Liz Earle Glowing Hydrating Routine 4 Full-Size Piece Gift Set is priced at £38, and is the only Star Gift that Liz Earle will be launching this year. It contains four of the skincare brand’s bestsellers, all of which are full sizes, as well as two of their pure cotton cloths, The Mirror reports. As part of the deal, each product works out at less than £10 each, which is impressive, seeing as the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Face Cleanser 200ml with two cloths would usually set shoppers back £33 on its own. That means you’re essentially paying £5 for the remaining three products. READ MORE: 'Cosy' suede boots shopper claims are 'every bit as good as Uggs' reduced by 71% from £159 READ MORE: John Lewis’ Black Friday Clinique deal that’s 'good value for money’ has 30% off in early deal The cleanser, best known for its creamy consistency and spa-like scent with eucalyptus oil, has earned itself more than 900 five star reviews from skincare enthusiasts. One said: “This is a lovely cleanser, smells gorgeous and really seems to do the job. Skin feels very soft, smooth and no sign of dryness.” Another added: “From day 1 I noticed that my skin felt softer and nourished. After a week my skin was clearer and wrinkles less noticeable. I will be buying this again. The cloths are as stated and softly takes away the dead skin layer leaving lovely clean finish.” Though it’s not been for everyone, with one leaving a two star review, which read: “I didn’t like this. It felt greasy and made my skin spotty. I didn’t feel it cleansed my skin, felt more like a mask.” As a beauty writer I get to try out dozens of different skincare products every year, but I do often find myself returning to this cult-loved cleanser, and find their products to be high quality, gentle and effective. Another thing I love about Liz Earle is that it seems to appeal to women of all ages . The set can be gifted to one person, or you could divide the products into more stocking filler style gifts to spread the Liz Earle love to more people. Equally, we won’t judge if you decide to keep it for yourself to save money on your routine. Here’s everything inside the Liz Earle Glowing Hydrating Routine 4 Full-Size Piece Gift Set: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Face Cleanser 200ml Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion 150ml Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Face Tonic 200ml Liz Earle Hydrating Cream Face Mask 75ml 2 Pure Cotton Cloths Another ageless option, which is always a hit with shoppers, is Soap and Glory, who has released four Star Gifts as part of their Big Pink Drop . One of the sets, It's The Shine Of The Times, is an 11-piece set worth £90 , but it’s been reduced to £44.50 for a limited time. Elsewhere, Charlotte Tilbury has launched several early Black Friday deals, including a discount on its beloved Dewy Pretty Blushed Cheeks Kit . The set contains two of the brand's best-selling products: the viral Hollywood Flawless Filter and a Cheek to Chic blush. Plus, Stacey Solomon's co-owned brand Rehab is offering up to 50% off its hair care heroes, a free mini brush, and a trial of its popular hair oil capsules with every order. Or you can shop the Liz Earle set here at Boots.Biglari Holdings chairman Sardar Biglari buys $506,690 in stock
Seventy-one years is a long time to wait for renovations, but the El Rancho High School community only has to wait five more months to get a first look at a $200 million project, officials said this week. Superintendent Marco Villegas is getting ready to call done on a dream he said is long-held by students, families and residents. Set to be open in April are a brand-new football stadium, already wreathed in Boise State Blue and white, only waiting for the track oval be built around it; sports fields for baseball and softball; soccer and track facilities as well as an aquatics center. “The new field facilities at our high school represent more than just a space for sports; they are an investment in our students and our community,” said Kendall Goyenaga, principal at El Rancho. “These state-of-the-art fields provide our students with opportunities to develop their talents, skills, and foster school spirit.” Villegas said the new facilities will also serve as a point of pride in the community. The high school construction project is funded by Measure ER, a $200 million school construction bond approved by voters of the El Rancho Unified School District in 2016. It would be the first facilities improvement at the school since the school first opened its doors in 1952, according to Ester Mejia, president of the El Rancho Union School District board. Generations of Dons wear the Blue Pride loudly, and alumni and students alike will find plenty to love, from a new Don Memorial Stadium with its blue football field, 5,000-seat bleachers, and press box, to the synthetic track and field and a new practice field and new basketball courts. The project also includes new team rooms, locker rooms, restrooms, concessions, ticket booths, coach’s offices, storage spaces, a weight room, and a training room. There will be new scoreboards, sports lighting, outdoor sound systems, walkways, netting, fencing, and general site improvements. The 33-meter pool will meet CIF regulations and will come with bleachers and a digital scoreboard. The parking lots around the area will be reconfigured and the fencing along the perimeter of the project will be upgraded for safety. The new facilities can’t come soon enough for El Rancho’s football team. The Dons have been practicing off campus in the two years since ground-breaking. They are in the semi-finals this week and have an overall record of 8-4 and a league record of 2-2 so far. “The first eight months (of construction) people didn’t really see anything except a lot of demolition, then in the next six to seven months it might have seemed like we were just moving dirt from one spot to another,” Villegas said. “But things were happening that just weren’t easy to see. These facilities are going to be second to none and goes a long way in showing we are one city, one district. This is just the beginning.”ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Appoints Current Dana Director R. Bruce McDonald as Chairman and CEO Announces Plan to Sell Off-Highway Business Initiates $200 Million Cost Reduction Plan Confirms 2024 Full-Year Guidance Ranges for Sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow MAUMEE, Ohio , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) today announced the appointment of R. Bruce McDonald , a member of the Dana Board of Directors, as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. McDonald's appointment follows the retirement of James Kamsickas as Chief Executive Officer and his departure from the Board. Mr. Kamsickas will remain as an advisor to the Company through March 2025 to support the transition. The Board has retained a leading executive search firm to identify the Company's next permanent CEO. Keith Wandell , Dana's Lead Independent Director, said, "Jim is an exceptional leader with more than 18 years as a CEO in the industry. He led Dana through one of the industry's most challenging periods while successfully building a high-performance culture, enabling a world-class manufacturing company and assembling a portfolio of leading products and technologies. The Board and Jim agreed that now is the right time to transition the leadership of Dana, and we thank Jim for his many contributions over his nine years leading the Company and wish him all the best." Mr. Kamsickas said, "I am proud of the work the Dana team has done over the past decade to grow revenues and successfully enhance the technology to serve all mobility markets no matter what type of propulsion they may use. It has been an honor to lead this talented global team during that time and I am confident the Company is well positioned for the future." Mr. Wandell continued, "We continue to have confidence in the long-term opportunity in the mobility industry, however it is undergoing a significant transformation, including protracted cost pressures and demand uncertainty. To address these challenges and deliver more value to customers and shareholders, Dana is taking action to streamline the business, unlock the value of its Off-Highway business and further reduce costs. Bruce is an experienced public company CEO in our industry with significant M&A expertise, and we are confident that he is the right person to oversee this transformation while the Board conducts a search for a permanent successor." Plan to Sell Off-Highway Business Dana today also announced it has engaged financial advisors Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC to sell its Off-Highway business, which the Board believes will unlock substantial value for shareholders. The Off-Highway business provides drive and motion systems for heavy-duty vehicles in markets such as agriculture, materials handling, mining, construction and forestry. A sale will position Dana with a streamlined go-to-market approach focused on serving its light and commercial vehicle customers, with traditional and electrified products that are largely shared across the remaining portfolio. Proceeds from a potential sale will enable Dana to strengthen its balance sheet through substantially reduced leverage, and to return capital to shareholders. While the Company and its advisors believe there is strong interest in the Off-Highway business, there can be no assurance that the sale process for Off-Highway will result in a transaction. There is no timeframe for the conclusion of the process, and the Company does not intend to comment further regarding this matter unless and until further disclosure is determined to be appropriate. Cost Reduction Actions While Dana continues to improve its profitability in a challenging operating environment, the Company announced further actions to support sustained long-term profitability and enhanced cash flow generation. This includes substantial reductions in selling, general & administrative costs across all the Company's businesses and engineering expenses to match current industry dynamics, including the ongoing delay in the adoption of electric vehicles. The Company expects to deliver annualized savings of approximately $200 million by 2026. Furthermore, the Company plans to reduce capital spending to reflect the revised market demand for electric vehicles. Bruce McDonald , Chief Executive Officer said, "Dana is committed to a strategy that accelerates value creation and has taken action to flex its cost structure and generate efficiencies by leveraging its core strengths through current market conditions. It is clear that further actions are needed, and I am confident that the new incremental cost reductions, paired with the benefits of a potential Off-Highway sale, will enhance shareholder value. Following the Off-Highway business sale, we believe Dana will have an adjusted EBITDA margin and free cash flow margin in excess of current levels." Mr. McDonald continued, "Dana is differentiated by leading technology innovation and a track record of continuous improvement. My conviction in our businesses, the team and the opportunities to capitalize on the EV transition over the long term remain strong. I look forward to stepping into my new role as CEO at such an important time for Dana and will work diligently alongside the Board and management team to deliver on these actions and drive value for Dana shareholders." Reaffirms 2024 Full-Year Guidance Ranges Dana is also reaffirming its previously announced guidance ranges for sales of $10.2 to $10.4 billion , Adjusted EBITDA of $855 to $895 million and free cash flow of $90 to $110 million for full year 2024, as outlined in the Company's third quarter 2024 earnings announcement on October 30, 2024 . About R. Bruce McDonald R. Bruce McDonald is a senior executive with over 30 years of experience in the automotive and manufacturing industries and significant expertise. Mr. McDonald has been a member of the Dana Board of Directors since 2014. He is also the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Adient plc., a global mobility supplier. He previously served as executive vice president and vice chairman of Johnson Controls, Inc., a global manufacturer of automotive, power and building solutions from 2014 to 2016. Mr. McDonald also served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Johnson Controls from 2005 to September 2014 . Before joining Johnson Controls as vice president and corporate controller in 2001, he was vice president for finance at TRW Automotive. Prior to his appointment as Chairman of the Board, Mr. McDonald served on Dana's Audit Committee and as chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements and projections contained in this news release are, by their nature, forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates, and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Dana's Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss important risk factors that could affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of this date. Dana does not undertake any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason. About Dana Incorporated Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company is shaping sustainable progress through its conventional and clean-energy solutions that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer with drive and motion systems; electrodynamic technologies, including software and controls; and thermal, sealing, and digital solutions. Based in Maumee, Ohio , USA, the company reported sales of $10.6 billion in 2023 with 42,000 people in 31 countries across six continents. With a history dating to 1904, Dana was named among the "World's Most Ethical Companies" for 2023 and 2024 by Ethisphere and as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies 2023" by Newsweek. The company is driven by a high-performance culture that focuses on valuing others, inspiring innovation, growing responsibly, and winning together, earning it global recognition as a top employer. Learn more at dana.com . Craig Barber , +1-419-699-4990, craig.barber@dana.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dana-announces-leadership-transition-and-actions-to-accelerate-value-creation-302315797.html SOURCE Dana IncorporatedDonald Trump has announced Warren Stephens, an investment banker, . Mr Stephens, 67, is a Republican donor who previously campaigned against Mr Trump, before financially backing him at this year’s election. He will replace Jane Hartley, the current ambassador to the UK appointed by Joe Biden, after Mr Trump’s inauguration in January. Mr Stephens is a career investment banker in Arkansas, where he has long supported Mike Huckabee, the former state governor who has been appointed as Mr Trump’s ambassador to Israel. He has not served in any government role, and is currently the CEO and president of the family business, Stephens Inc. Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “I am pleased to announce that Warren A Stephens, one of the most successful businessmen in the country, has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Court of St James’s, a role in which he will act as our representative to the United Kingdom. “Over the last 38 years, while serving as the president, chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc, Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist. “Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top diplomat, representing the USA to one of America’s most cherished and beloved allies.” His appointment comes at a time for delicate relations between Mr Trump and Sir Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister who was accused by the president-elect’s allies of interfering in the presidential election . The two men spoke after Mr Trump’s election victory last month, and have pledged to work together on the “special relationship”. Mr Trump has also pledged to impose blanket tariffs of up to 20 per cent on all foreign imports, including from the UK. British ministers have said they will attempt to persuade him to offer the UK access to American markets. Mr Stephens donated to the Stop Trump movement in 2016, when Mr Trump first ran for president. He then gave more than $3million to super PACs supporting Mr Trump in 2020, before backing the primary campaigns of Asa Hutchinson and . He has also donated to Maga Inc, another Trump-supporting Super PAC.
NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is headed back to the World Blitz Championship on Monday after its governing body agreed to loosen a dress code that got him fined and denied a late-round game in another tournament for refusing to change out of jeans . Lamenting the contretemps, International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement Sunday that he'd let World Blitz Championship tournament officials consider allowing “appropriate jeans” with a jacket, and other “elegant minor deviations” from the dress code. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.
Remembering Jimmy Carter: Maryland leaders react to the death of the country’s 39th president
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EDITOR'S NOTE: On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. No one wants to see any player take a vicious hit like the one that knocked Trevor Lawrence out of the game. It’s easy to agree on that point. Eliminating violent shots is the hard part. The NFL has instituted several rules to protect quarterbacks but football is a physical sport and players have to react instantly and make split-second decisions going at high speeds so injuries keep occurring. Lawrence was carted off the field in the first half of Jacksonville’s 23-20 loss to Houston on Sunday after Azeez Al-Shaair leveled the defenseless quarterback with a forearm to the facemask. The late hit put Lawrence in the fencing position — both fists clenched — and he stayed on the ground for several minutes, while a brawl ensued. Lawrence didn’t require hospitalization for his concussion but it’s unknown when he’ll return. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out/been praying for me,” Lawrence wrote on X. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.” Al-Shaair was ejected from the game and faces a fine and potential suspension after his latest unsportsmanlike penalty. The Texans' linebacker was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline that wasn’t flagged. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. Al-Shaair once got away with grabbing Tom Brady by the throat on a pass rush in a game between the 49ers and Buccaneers. Outraged Jaguars players called Al-Shaair’s hit “dirty” and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made it known he didn’t condone it. “It’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans said. “Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play. Not representative of who Azeez is. He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.” Fox Sports color analyst Daryl Johnston, a former fullback for the Dallas Cowboys, didn’t hold back his criticism, calling it a “cheap shot.” “It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” Johnston said. “Everything. You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful. There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field and you respect him. And there’s opportunities to be physical and give big hits and play this game in that manner. And there’s other times when there’s a respect that you grant to your opponent.” Some former NFL quarterbacks blasted Al-Shaair on social media. “There is no place in the game of football for dirty hits like this one,” Robert Griffin III wrote on X. Chase Daniel called it “one of the dirtiest hits” he’s ever seen on a quarterback. Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram, right, jumps on Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after his late hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence, bottom, during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Even defensive players struggled to defend Al-Shaair. “That was uncalled for,” Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan said on Fox’s studio show while fellow Hall of Famer Howie Long agreed. But the play also sparked debate about the quarterback slide. Lawrence slid feet first, which signals that he’s giving himself up on the play. The NFL rulebook states: “A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” But defensive players aren’t automatically penalized if they make contact with a sliding quarterback if they already committed and the contact is unavoidable. The rules state it’s a foul when “the defender makes forcible contact into the head or neck area of the runner with the helmet, shoulder, or forearm, or commits some other act that is unnecessary roughness.” Al-Shaair did that so he was penalized and will face other repercussions. Still, given the hard-hitting nature of the sport, it won’t be the last time this happens. When Caleb Williams took the field for the Chicago Bears' first regular season game against the Tennessee Titans, the anticipation for the rookie's debut game—possibly the most ever—was on full display. Despite a tough debut for the quarterback, the Bears secured a 24-17 win, a notable feat for the rookie. The victory made Williams the first #1 overall pick with a Week 1 win in over 20 years. Going forward this season, Williams is expected to eclipse C.J. Stroud's record-breaking 2023 rookie campaign with the Houston Texans. However, Stroud's success is an anomaly. Drafting a successful quarterback, especially one who is effective right away, is difficult. When teams have a high first-round draft pick, and they're coming off an unsuccessful few seasons, it's assumed that they will use their first pick on a quarterback . That player will assume the title of "the face of the franchise" and will get the central attention, win or lose. To see which quarterbacks have faced that challenge and triumphed, ATS.io compiled a ranking of the 10 best rookie quarterbacks since 1960 using data from StatHead . Rookies were defined as players who are in their first season of professional football and have not been on the roster of another professional team. Quarterbacks were ranked according to adjusted net yards per pass attempt, which quantifies efficient passing skill. Ties were broken using passer rating. Only rookie quarterbacks with at least 10 games played and 200 total passing attempts were considered. Since 1967, 130 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round. Of those drafted, only 61 have won a playoff game as a starter, according to The Athletic, which used data from NFL Research . The biggest reason this success rate is not guaranteed is because there are differences between college and pro offensive systems. In the collegiate game, the ball is snapped at different points on the field, passing windows are wider, and defenders and linemen are not as quick, making the adjustment to the pro level more difficult. NFL scouts and general managers are gambling on what skills can be transferable and how long those adjustments might take, which is why some teams prefer redshirt quarterbacks to ease the transition. However, just because a team may not want to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, doesn't mean they can't find a diamond in the rough later in the draft. Think about Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Dak Prescott, all of which were not first-round picks, but have gone on to make a name for themselves in the NFL. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.44 - Passer rating: 91.2 - Season stats: 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, 6 interceptions Coming out of college, Gardner Minshew was not a highly sought-after quarterback for NFL teams. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft—a draft that was headlined by Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, and Daniel Jones. Nonetheless, Minshew's rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was filled with many accomplishments. He won Rookie of the Week seven times despite not winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Minshew also had the highest passer rating of any rookie quarterback that started in 2019. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.84 - Passer rating: 98.3 - Season stats: 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Justin Herbert was the third quarterback selected in the 2020 NFL draft behind Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. As the No. 6 overall pick, expectations were high, but there was also an assumption that it would be a few years before Herbert's development would take shape. Then, Chargers starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was accidentally punctured in the lung by a team doctor administering a painkiller before the second game of the season, and it wasn't clear what Taylor's status would be moving forward. When Herbert was given the nod to start minutes before the game, fans didn't know what to expect. Herbert shocked viewers when he threw for over 300 yards and only one interception in that game. He continued his strong rookie showing throughout the season and went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 87.7 - Season stats: 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions As the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, there were high expectations on Matt Ryan's shoulders heading to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were coming off back-to-back losing seasons and off-the-field legal troubles with its starting quarterback Michael Vick overshadowing the team's play. Ryan was expected to pick up the pieces. He did that immediately, leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record in his rookie season and becoming the clear favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year halfway through the season, which he went on to win. The tag team of Ryan and running back Michael Turner was one of the best offensive forces in the sport that season. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 100 - Season stats: 3,118 yards, 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Considering Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck headlined the NFL Draft that year, it was not believed that Wilson would be a starter come Week 1, but that quickly changed. Going into the 2012 NFL Draft, Tarvaris Jackson was the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback, and the team signed NFL veteran quarterback Matt Flynn as an insurance policy on the injury-prone Jackson . It was assumed in the short term that either Jackson or Flynn would lead the franchise. Once training camp arrived, however, the Seahawks' quarterback position was uncertain. Jackson was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and Flynn was underwhelming at camp, forcing Head Coach Pete Carroll to take a gamble on his rookie quarterback, Wilson, in Week 1. Carroll, nor Wilson, ever looked back. Wilson was one of the best passing quarterbacks that season. He led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and went on to win NFL Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.39 - Passer rating: 96 - Season stats: 2,210 yards, 20 touchdowns, 6 interceptions When Dan Marino was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1983, the NFL looked very different. Running the ball was the name of the game. The quarterback would either run the football himself at the line of scrimmage or hand it off to the running back, and the offensive linemen would claw and push the pile forward as the runner powered his legs. It was not a pretty sight. However, Marino took a different approach, throwing the ball with a unique quick release for that era. He led the Dolphins to a 9-1 record after replacing David Woodley midway through his rookie season, ending with a 12-4 record. He went on to win Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie to start a Pro Bowl. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 100.8 - Season stats: 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, 5 interceptions When C.J. Stroud was drafted No. 2 by the Houston Texans last year, there were a lot of questions, not about his ability, but about the organization that he would be playing for. The Texans were coming off of a 3-13-1 season in 2022, finishing with the worst record in the league, and a lot of volatility in its front office. The team fired its head coach and a top executive before the draft. Weeks later, the team hired former Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans as its next head coach. While Ryans is a defensive-minded coach, Stroud was seen as a key ingredient to the team's success since Ryans hired his coaching staff around the quarterback. Stroud led the NFL in yards and TD-to-interception ratio during his rookie season, which is an efficiency statistic considering he didn't get his first interception until his sixth regular-season game against the New Orleans Saints. While Stroud was a part of the league MVP conversation for most of the season, he didn't ultimately win the title. However, he was named 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his rookie season is seen as one of the best in NFL history. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.86 - Passer rating: 104.9 - Season stats: 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns, 4 interceptions Dak Prescott is statistically the best rookie quarterback ever, racking up the best passer rating as a rookie. After losing his first game, he led the Cowboys on an 11-game winning streak. That season, he led the team to its fourth-best season ever with a 13-3 record. Prescott was the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and became the first NFL quarterback to be drafted in the fourth round or later to start all 16 regular season games. Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Shanna Kelly. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.77 - Passer rating: 93.7 - Season stats: 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions Pressure was high for Baker Mayfield as the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. When he joined the Cleveland Browns, there was an expectation that once the team figured out the quarterback position, it could be playoff-ready. After trading for Jarvis Landry, a young wide receiver from the Miami Dolphins, in the offseason, the Browns were on their way. Mayfield's rookie season was filled with many firsts, and the Landry-Mayfield connection filled the stat sheet. Mayfield set the record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in 2019 with 27 surpassing prior marks from Payton Manning and Russell Wilson. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.93 - Passer rating: 98.1 - Season stats: 2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions Ben Roethlisberger was the third quarterback selected in his draft class behind the likes of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers—though fans wouldn't have been able to tell. From the moment Roethlisberger was called up by the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in his first game—Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens—it was clear he had a special arm, gaining the nickname "Golden Arm." While the next several games were bumpy for Steelers fans, it was clear that Roethlisberger was the future of the franchise. The Steelers had a solid running game and its receiving core, led by Hines Ward, was one of the best in the league . Once Roethlisberger gained his footing a few games in, he was unstoppable. He led Pittsburgh to its best record ever: 15-1. He also started the season on an eight-game winning streak, becoming the first rookie to do so. Additionally, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 102.4 - Season stats: 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions Leading into the 2012 draft, it wasn't a matter of whether Washington would pick a quarterback, it was a matter of who. After several seasons of mediocre quarterback play and losing seasons from the likes of Jason Campbell, Donovan McNabb, and Rex Grossman, it was time for a new face to lead the offense. At No. 2, Washington selected Robert Griffin III making him the second quarterback selected in the 2012 NFL draft behind Andrew Luck. Griffin started his rookie year campaign with one of the best performances football fans have ever seen. He completed 19 of his 26 pass attempts for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns, beating the New Orleans Saints. That game earned him the highest passer rating by a rookie ever, 158.3. He now shares that record with Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota. Griffin III went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. Get local news delivered to your inbox!CSG LAUNCHED AI MESSAGINGTM – REVOLUTIONIZING LEAD QUALIFICATION WITH INTELLIGENT TEXTING
Renowned Chinese actress Liu Shishi has officially been named as the global brand ambassador for Celine, a prestigious luxury fashion house known for its timeless elegance and modern sophistication. The announcement was made on social media platforms by both Liu Shishi and Celine, marking a significant milestone in the actress's career and solidifying her status as a style icon in the global fashion industry.Michelle Obama Dunked on After Touting Self-Help Workbook with 'Techniques,' 'Exercises' to Deal with Anxious Times
Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, are also poised to continue their impressive form in the Champions League. With a well-balanced team and a world-class manager in Jurgen Klopp, the Reds are considered to have a significant advantage over their opponents. Liverpool's attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino are expected to pose a major threat to their rivals and lead the team to a commanding victory.The Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team has gotten off to a fast start this season in more ways than one. The No. 16 Bearcats have raced to a 5-0 record while outscoring their opponents by more than 31 points per game, with just one team (Northern Kentucky) coming within 16 points. Cincinnati is averaging a robust 87 points per game with one of the more efficient offenses in college basketball. Cincinnati will look to continue that hot streak when it plays host to Alabama State in nonconference action Wednesday evening. Cincinnati has punished opposing defenses in a variety of ways this season. Despite being the No. 14 offense in the nation in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency ratings, the Bearcats aren't among the nation's leaders in pace. Still, they take advantage of those opportunities when they are there. "Us playing fast is something we want to do," Cincinnati forward Dillon Mitchell said. "When I was being recruited here, that was something Coach (Wes) Miller wanted to do. "There could be games where we're not making shots or something is off, but one thing is we're gonna push the ball, play hard and play fast. That's something he preaches. We'll be in shape and get rebounds." Mitchell is fresh off a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in Cincinnati's 81-58 road win at Georgia Tech Saturday. He is one of four Bearcats to average double figures in scoring this season. That balance was on display once again against the Yellow Jackets, with Connor Hickman and Jizzle James also scoring 14 points each and Simas Lukosius contributing 12 points. In that game, Cincinnati sank 51.6 percent of its shots while regularly getting out into transition with 16 fastbreak points, while winning the rebounding battle 36-29. "Any time you get a road win over a quality, Power 4 team, you're gonna feel good about it," Miller said. "I was pleased with our effort." Lukosius is scoring 16.6 points per game, while James is at 14.0 points, followed by Mitchell at 12.4, while he also grabs a team-best 8.6 rebounds. Alabama State (3-3) has a tough task ahead, especially when considering its 97-78 loss at Akron Sunday, which ended a three-game winning streak. The Hornets allowed the Zips to shoot 46.4 percent from the field and were 53-32 in the rebounding battle. Alabama State gave up a season high in points, after playing the likes of LSU and UNLV earlier this season. Akron standout Nate Johnson lit up Alabama State for 25 points, as the game got away from the Hornets in the second half to keep them winless in true road games. Alabama leading scorers CJ Hines and TJ Madlock still got theirs against Akron, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. They were joined in double figures by reserve Tyler Mack (18 points), but recent history says they'll need more help to keep up with the Bearcats. Hines leads the Hornets with 15.7 points per game, while Madlock contributes 14.5 points. In previous Akron Basketball Classic wins last week against Omaha and Lamar, Alabama State featured at least four double-digit scorers in each game. --Field Level MediaParents and students were then treated to a series of engaging and informative workshops, led by educators from both Garden International High School and Wyrdathink School. From interactive STEM activities to lively discussions on global citizenship, attendees were given a taste of the innovative and collaborative teaching approaches that the partnership would bring about.Awkward I’m A Celebrity blunder as two stars are ‘mixed up’ by cameraman
Alkami technology directors sell $119.25 million in stockTitle: Unstoppable! Champions League 6-time winners with 5 consecutive victories, sweeping aside Real Madrid and AC Milan, advance to the next round with ease!As the news of James Anderson's death reverberates across the country, tributes pour in from colleagues, friends, and admirers who remember him as a visionary leader and compassionate mentor. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew him, as the insurance industry mourns the loss of a true industry titan.
South Korea's political landscape has been thrown into further turmoil as the National Assembly passed a resolution calling for the swift arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol. This decision reflects the deepening crisis gripping the nation's leadership and raises serious concerns about the stability of the government.None
Meet Wall Street's Newest $1 Trillion Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock -- but Don't Rush to Buy It Just Yet
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HOUSTON, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Talen Energy Corporation (“Talen” or the “Company”) ( NASDAQ: TLN ) announced today that the Company has closed on its previously announced $850 million incremental Term Loan B credit facility (the “Financing”) and the repurchase (the “Repurchase”) of an equivalent value of shares of Talen’s outstanding Talen common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”) from affiliates of Rubric Capital Management LP (collectively, “Rubric”). The Company previously announced it would use the proceeds from the Financing to repurchase an equivalent value of shares of Common Stock held by Rubric. Upon the successful upsizing of the Financing from $600 million to $850 million, the Company determined it would use cash on hand to further increase the value of the Repurchase from $850 million to $1 billion in aggregate purchase price. Shares repurchased using the proceeds from the Financing are incremental to the Company’s previously announced share repurchase program. The additional shares repurchased with $150 million of cash on hand utilized capacity under the existing share repurchase program, leaving approximately $1.08 billion of remaining capacity available under the program through 2026. “Demonstrating our commitment to shareholder returns, we have now repurchased more than 20% of our outstanding Common Stock in the past year and, through these repurchases, have bought back nearly 75% of our market capitalization as of our emergence from bankruptcy in May 2023,” said Mac McFarland, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We will continue to deliver value to all our stakeholders, including Rubric, which remains a valued and substantial owner of Talen stock.” The Repurchase was priced at a 4% discount to a 15-day VWAP prior to the closing of the Repurchase, resulting in the repurchase of 4,893,507 total shares at a price of $204.35 per share. Following the Repurchase, 45,961,910 shares of the Company’s Common Stock remain outstanding. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Talen Talen Energy ( NASDAQ: TLN ) is a leading independent power producer and energy infrastructure company dedicated to powering the future. We own and operate approximately 10.7 gigawatts of power infrastructure in the United States, including 2.2 gigawatts of nuclear power and a significant dispatchable fossil fleet. We produce and sell electricity, capacity, and ancillary services into wholesale U.S. power markets, with our generation fleet principally located in the Mid-Atlantic and Montana. Our team is committed to generating power safely and reliably, delivering the most value per megawatt produced and driving the energy transition. Talen is also powering the digital infrastructure revolution. We are well-positioned to capture this significant growth opportunity, as data centers serving artificial intelligence increasingly demand more reliable, clean power. Talen is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit https://www.talenenergy.com/. Investor Relations: Ellen Liu Senior Director, Investor Relations InvestorRelations@talenenergy.com Media: Taryne Williams Director, Corporate Communications Taryne.Williams@talenenergy.com Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this communication, or incorporated by reference into this communication, are forward-looking statements. Throughout this communication, we have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” or other forms of these words or similar words or expressions or the negative thereof, although not all forward-looking statements contain these terms. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions concerning, among other things, capital expenditures, earnings, litigation, regulatory matters, hedging, liquidity and capital resources and accounting matters. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our future business, financial condition, results of operations or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this communication. All of our forward-looking statements include assumptions underlying or relating to such statements that may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, and are subject to numerous factors that present considerable risks and uncertainties.
Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Storm inundates Northern California with rain, heavy snow. Thousands remain in the dark in Seattle HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain from a major storm prompted evacuation warnings for communities near a Northern California river that forecasters say could break its banks Friday, as the system continued to dump heavy snow in mountainous areas where some ski resorts opened for the season. The storm reached the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before moving through Northern California, where several roads were closed due to flooding and strong winds toppled some trees. Forecasters are warning about the risk of flash flooding and rockslides in areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by this season’s strongest atmospheric river. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.
Drones, planes or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious New Jersey sightingsSouth Carolina is off to an uneven start, but that hasn't obscured the steady rise of Collin Murray-Boyles. The 6-foot-7 sophomore will be the player to watch when South Carolina (6-3) hosts South Carolina Upstate (4-8) Saturday afternoon in Columbia. Murray-Boyles leads the Gamecocks in points (16.2), rebounds (9.4), steals (1.2) and blocks (1.1) per game. As South Carolina struggled to a 75-68 victory over East Carolina on Saturday, Murray-Boyles carried the Gamecocks, making all 10 of his shots from the floor and finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds. "He's been working on pivoting towards the basket and getting on balance and then making a strong move through some contact," South Carolina coach Lamont Paris said. The Gamecocks have been highly dependent on Murray-Boyles. In the two games in which he has fouled out, South Carolina lost to Xavier and Indiana. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are unbeaten in the six games in which he has collected at least eight rebounds. "He's still growing and it's exciting to see," Paris said. "He's got phenomenal natural touch." Also emerging lately have been Norfolk State transfer Jamarii Thomas, who had season highs of 22 points and seven assists against East Carolina, and Morris Ugusuk, who has hit 10 of 14 shots from 3-point range in the last three games. South Carolina Upstate has been sparked by a pair of guards who each have won multiple Big South freshman of the week awards. Carmelo Adkins had 31 points and 12 rebounds in wins last week over Division III Brevard and at Western Carolina, while Mister Dean leads the Spartans in points (15.7), rebounds (5.6) and steals (2.0) per game. "He sparks runs because he'll make a dynamic dunk," Spartans coach Marty Richter said of Dean. "He brings energy with how he scores the basketball, in a hurry. He can score in bunches." The Spartans enter on a high as the win over Western Carolina was Richter's first over a Division I team. South Carolina Upstate is 1-8 all-time against South Carolina. This year, the Spartans are winless in four games against power conference schools. In an 85-80 loss a month ago at Wake Forest, however, they led for much of the second half. --Field Level Media
Revealed less than 24 hours ago, Elden Ring: Nightreign has already announced its first network test for players to go hands-on with the online multiplayer spin-off. The test will take place early in 2025, with registrations beginning next month. “The network test is a preliminary verification test in which the selected testers play a portion of the game prior to the full game launch,” an announcement on Bandai Namco’s website reads. “Various technical verifications of online systems will be examined by conducting large-scale network load tests.” Registration will be for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S players and take place on January 10 with the test going live in February. While Elden Ring: Nightreign can be played single-player, one of the main draws is the opportunity to play through its open-world challenges as part of a three-person squad. While FromSoftware isn’t explicitly calling it a roguelike, the action-RPG will revolve around individual playthroughs spent exploring a world with a day-and-night cycle as well as randomized environments and encounters, with boss fights ramping up as the run progresses. While players’ characters progress during each run, they can also unlock permanent stat bonuses that carry over between runs. The game’s first trailer shows combat that’s much more stylized than that in the original game too, with characters pulling off faster, more elaborate moves. We’ll see how all that works in practice once the first network test goes live in February. While the Elden Ring: Nightreign playtest will be on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S only, the game is also coming to PS4 and Xbox One (and PC) when it arrives in full next year. Despite officially continuing the Elden Ring series, FromSoftware says it’s not currently planning a direct sequel to the 2022 game anytime soon. .New York City is a dream destination, but planning out what to see and do in the "city that never sleeps" can cause some sleepless nights before you even book your flights. The city is infamously brimming with landmarks, restaurants, attractions, events, and spectacular sights - many of which have been rendered into true icon status. Compounding the sheer volume of marvellous sights and activities is the fact that the diversity of New York and its status as a global hub means that you can very likely indulge in any of several niche interests there, from Broadway musicals to ancient history to cutting-edge food or gaming. Whether you've been a dozen times or are going for the first time, planning a trip from Vancouver to New York City can be daunting. Here's a full breakdown of tips and tricks for booking - and enjoying - an incredible trip to NYC. It's not hard to get to New York from Vancouver, but you might have to contend with a layover. Three major airports serve New York City: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) in Queens, and Newark International Airport (EWR) across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Only two airlines fly direct from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to New York: JetBlue offers one flight daily to JFK (and it's a red-eye), while Air Canada flies from Vancouver direct to Newark. If you don't mind running from one end of an airport to another (Montreal's YUL or Toronto's YYZ) then you have plenty of options for flights with connections. To find the best deals, you may want to use a third-party booking site that can give you multiple options for trips. I booked my trip through FlightHub and opted to purchase two one-way tickets: A red-eye from YVR to LGA (through YYZ) on WestJet and LGA to YVR (through YUL) on Air Canada - the best options for my specific travel dates. For those who have not been to LGA in a long time (like me, until this trip) the airport has undergone significant renovations, and it is bright, modern, and packed with amenities. I have certainly spoken ill of LGA in the past but now would rank it one of my favourite airports I've travelled through of late. It's so nice to be pleasantly surprised. You'll need a different game plan for getting to your hotel from any of the New York City-area airports, but if you're looking to get from LGA to Manhattan, you have some great options. The free Q70 bus serves LGA and will connect you to the subway in Queens. Many hotels offer shuttles as well. Taking a cab or Uber/Lyft is certainly an option, though take note that it could cost you well over $100 USD to do so. However, Uber recently introduced a cost-effective shuttle from LGA to two transit hubs in Midtown Manhattan, Penn Station and Grand Central Station. Shuttles depart every 15 minutes (alternating between the two stations, so there's one trip per half hour to each) and cost just $18 per person. The pickup zone is outside the baggage claim area at both Terminal B and C (they're clearly marked). Be sure you book carefully to account for which station you're going to, which terminal you're being picked up from, and how many seats you are booking. The shuttles also connect the two transit stations to LGA on the same schedule. The ride is in a shuttle van and is operated by a licensed partner. If Uber cancels your shuttle, you will immediately have the option to book an Uber for free (minus tip and any tolls or surcharges). This happened for my Grand Central to LGA booking, and instead of spending $36 USD for the two of us to get to the airport, we took an Uber and were only billed $8 plus tip (USD). Besides walking, there is no better way to get around New York - for the most part - than on public transit. The MTA, which operates the city's legendary subway system, along with its buses, the Roosevelt Island Tram, and the Staten Island Ferry, may look intimidating but it is akin to a rite of passage for visitors to navigate . (Don't worry, even locals find themselves lost in the subway now and then - it happens!) Your cellphone's map app will be able to give you transit details for NYC, down to which exit to use, and you can purchase a multi-day pass to enjoy unlimited rides. I found the best value was to get a seven-day Metrocard pass ($34 USD); with rides at $2.90 each, I think we may have broken even sometime around the afternoon of day two. A note: The MTA is working on phasing out the Metrocard (a swipe or dip card) for the OMNY, a tap-to-pay system akin to Vancouver's Compass card. You may use either for the time being (likely until 2027) with ease. Particularly in Manhattan, the subway is pretty much everywhere. Look for the green globes on posts next to staircases heading underground; you can also use the globes to figure out if that's the way you can go in. You'll also want to sort out if you're headed Uptown or Downtown, towards Queens, The Bronx, or Brooklyn, and if you need the local (makes all stops) or express (skips stops). Wayfinding has become significantly enhanced on the NYC subway in recent years, to the extent that newer subway trains have digitized displays in the cars that tell you where the exits and elevators are, and other pertinent information. Buses are also a great option for getting around; I only rode a couple this trip but found they were newer vehicles that were very clean and pleasant to ride in. Always be aware of changes in service and take into consideration that delays are possible. In NYC, you can book rides on apps like Uber, and you can also use taxis . To hail a cab, be sure to be on a street that has traffic heading in the direction in which you want to go. Step off the curb and raise your arm to signal to passing cabs; only cabs with their lights on are available to hail. Be sure to only use licenced cabs; avoid anyone in places like the airport baggage claim area who is approaching you and asking if you'd like a ride. Location, location, location. Never has this been more true than in choosing where to stay when visiting New York City. My top priority for choosing a hotel was that it be very close to a subway stop (ideally one that serves multiple lines) and that it would be a good location from which to base our planned adventures. When travelling to a city as packed with hotel options as New York, sites that can isolate great deals while providing all the pertinent info you need to make a booking decision can come in handy if you don't already have a preferred hotel in mind. My hotel stay was booked via FlightHub , and I stayed at one of three NYC locations of a hotel brand called Moxy (which is part of the Marriott Bonvoy company). The Moxy NYC Downtown is located in the Financial District, steps from a major subway hub at Fulton Street serving numerous lines. The hotel is also close to some popular spots for visitors, like the World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial and Museum, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge, and landmarks like the court buildings (in case you want to have a Law & Order moment). Boasting NYC's only in-hotel basketball court (which you can book for some hoop shooting), the Moxy NYC Downtown is brimming with cool, playful vibes, from the help-yourself snack cart in the lobby to the lounge and bar/restaurant area that has live DJs in the evenings and all kinds of games to enjoy while hanging out. That said, the room was wonderfully quiet and the halls calm during my stay, which meant a terrific night's sleep - much needed with all the adventures and exploring on our to-do list. Divide and conquer is the way to go, as in split everything you want to do up by neighbourhood. Be sure to factor in transit times, and when and where you might need an extended time to rest your tired feet and use the restroom (public washrooms are hard to come by in New York when you are out and about). New York is packed with quintessential tourist experiences, which can be as simple as taking in the sights and sounds of Times Square or as specific as booking a time to experience an attraction like the Top of the Rock viewing decks at Rockefeller Plaza. While much of New York can be enjoyed at your own pace, like a stroll through Central Park, many of its treasured venues require tickets and time slots. I must admit, I took my New York planning so seriously that I made a spreadsheet. This allowed me to sort by neighbourhood, and to check off as I went. I also accounted for which experiences would be the first to be sacrificed if something didn't go as scheduled, a change of plans occurred, or our feet were in too much pain to carry on (true story, that brought Sunday's over-ambitious plans grinding to a halt). I gave myself reasonable spans between things that were booked and prepaid (or carried penalties for missing, like dinner reservations) and filled those spans with more as-it-comes options. And I had options galore. My spreadsheet aligned with my Google Map wth flags aplenty for every neighbourhood, in case we wanted a drink, a snack, or somewhere to sit down. In the end, we managed to experience a great deal of New York (primarily Manhattan) and tick off several bucket list and/or niche destinations, from the incredible three-storey immersive Summit One to some special retailers. I can't pretend for a minute that we share all the same interests, so unless you are a former New Yorker who loves food and transit history travelling with a kid who loves Lego, ice cream, and video games, my exact itinerary is probably not for you. (But if that does describe you, let's be friends!) One tip for visitors is to get a CityPass for major attractions; for NYC, the pass will cover your admission to the Empire State Building Observatory and American Museum of Natural History as well as your choice of three more attractions, including Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and the Guggenheim. You can also choose the popular Circle Line boat tours as one of your three attractions. I've also used the CityPass in Atlanta and found it's a great value for sightseeing. Torn between Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building? Both are spectacular, but I'm going to give the advantage to Top of the Rock, thanks to the fact that you can see the Empire State Building from its south-facing viewing decks (and they have a couple of novelty experiences, including the "Beam" and the 360 "Skylift"). There is a museum for pretty much everything in New York, from mathematics to sex. A money-saving tip is to find out when some museums offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission, including the Guggenheim, The Whitney, MoMA, and several more. There are plenty of things to do for free in New York, the first of which is simply walking around. You can stand on the steps in the middle of Times Square, walk through Central Park, and walk the High Line for free. It's also free to gawk at the stunning restored ceiling of Grand Central; be sure to look for the tiny patch of black that represents what the ceiling used to look like after years of pollution and smoke stained the gorgeous artwork. If you are looking to load your itinerary with free things to do in NYC, there are tons of resources online to help guide you, like this often-updated Time Out roundup , or tips from I Love NY . 📍 Museum of Ice Cream : What began as a pop-up in NY in 2016 is now a multi-city destination. The Soho flagship features a giant slide, a sprinkle "pool" you can jump in, unlimited ice cream and treats as you go, and lots of hands-on activities for kids (and adults). 📍 Soho : One of the city's top shopping districts has big brands and boutiques. I love Housing Works and New York or Nowhere (in neighbouring Nolita). 📍 Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Plaza: Journey to the top of the iconic building that's home to SNL , The Tonight Show , and entertainment history, Drink in stunning views of the city on the observation decks, relax in the indoor-outdoor cafe, and then roam the Plaza. In the winter it's where you'll see the skating rink and Christmas tree, and all year it's where they film the Today show and where you can find lots of shops and cafes, as well as gorgeous public art. 📍 Shopping in Midtown: Between Radio City Music Hall on 6th (Avenue of the Americas) and 5th Avenue are several major stores. TV fans may wish to pop into the NBC store, and gamers will love the only North American official Nintendo Store (San Francisco will open in 2025). This is where you will also find FAO Schwarz (the relocated beloved toy store) which houses the adorable Jellycat Diner experience. 📍 Summit One Vanderbilt : Summit One Vanderbilt is an immersive observation deck located atop the One Vanderbilt skyscraper. The three-level venue combines panoramic views with interactive art installations, offering a unique sensory experience. Go at sunset or night for an even more exciting time (and don't skip the balloon room). 📍 New York Transit Museum : Located in a decommissioned subway station in Brooklyn, this is a must-see for transit enthusiasts. The lower level features a platform lined with actual historic transit cars, most of which you are free to roam. Transit fans may also wish to do a little research on some hidden or "secret" old subway stops you can see around town. 📍 West Village : Meander the criss-crossing tree-lined streets of the West Village to see some beautiful homes, cafés and restaurants, and boutique shops. Visit the Stonewall Inn State Historic Site at Christopher Park, have tea at Paquita, shop at Big Night , or wait in line for some of the best pizza in town at L'Industrie. 📍 Central Park : No matter the time of year, a stroll through Central Park is a must. Use the Conservancy's detailed guides to plan your visit. 📍 Roosevelt Island Tramway : Take a brief aerial tram from Manhattan alongside the Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge to picturesque Roosevelt Island. Explore the area's offerings and then hop on the tram or the subway back to Manhattan. 📍 Times Square : The dizzying hub of commerce and live theatre, the larger-than-life billboards and cacophony that is Times Square should be experienced at least once. (You don't have to stay long!) Grab a seat on the steps and watch the somewhat organized chaos unfold. If you are a night owl, consider arriving at 11:57 p.m. when all the billboards go dark and are lit until midnight with a unified work of art. Watch your belongings here and don't engage with the people in costumes unless you have cash for them. 📍 Hudson Yards : This newer retail zone is a luxury mall with an incredible Spanish marketplace and food court on the lower level. This is where you can see the Vessel (you must pay to access the interior) and a great starting point for a walk on the High Line. 📍 The High Line , Chelsea Market : The High Line is a linear park built on a repurposed elevated rail line in Manhattan once destined for demolition. It features lush gardens, public art, and wonderful city views, making for an engaging stroll through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea on the island's west side. Hop off at Chelsea Market for a snack or meal inside the former Nabisco cookie factory now home to gourmet food shops and restaurants. If you can, venture over to Little Island to see one of New York's newest green spaces. 📍 Little Italy : Wander through the picturesque streets of New York's Italian community, which are lined with souvenir shops and restaurants. 📍 Grand Central Terminal : This is a historic transportation hub in New York City known for its stunning Beaux-Arts architecture. Look for the celestial ceiling mural in the Main Concourse and the iconic four-faced clock atop the information booth, as well as the "Whispering Gallery," and the food market. A word of warning: There are not many places to sit down here, so don't choose this as a take-a-load-off spot unless you book a table to dine at one of its full-service restaurants or go to the waiting room for train riders. Though I didn't do these activities this time around, many travellers may wish to know more about some of the city's top attractions and things to do. For many whose motto is "will travel for food," taking a bite out of the Big Apple is absolute life goals. New York City is a reflection of global food culture and a trailblazer; not only does it have North America's most lauded chefs and restaurants that win prestigious awards and set trends, but it also has a gobsmacking amount of places to try foods from nations from every corner of the world. There are dozens of iconic NYC foods, some made even more popular thanks to social media and pop culture, from bagels and schmears to pizza slices to pastrami sandwiches and street corner hot dog carts. There are three-strarred Michelin restaurants and acclaimed burger counters, viral chocolate chip cookies, and banana pudding you might wait in line for. Given how synonymous New York is with the act of eating, from fine dining to street vendors and bodegas to speakeasies, planning where to eat while visiting the city can take a lot of thought. I've curated a separate guide for food-loving travellers bound for NYC from YVR packed with tips (and my itinerary of where I ate during my recent three-night sojourn). Exhausted? You're still in the planning stages. This is just training for the big event. You can do this! New York City is an absolute thrill for visitors of all kinds, and with some thoughtful planning, you can set yourself up for the trip of a lifetime. Have fun! Thanks to FlightHub for facilitating travel to New York City from Vancouver by hosting our flights and hotel stay. We received support from NYC Tourism with a CityPass which covered the cost of our visit to the Top of the Rock. None of the above-mentioned experiences or meals were hosted; the entire itinerary was self-curated and paid for by the author with no prior arrangement with any business. While the CityPass was gifted, the tickets are standard issue general admission and accorded nothing beyond a regular experience; the venue (Top of the Rock) did not know we were media. All opinions and inclusions are those of the author and were based solely on personal experience. None of the businesses or entities featured were granted any previews of the story before publication or paid to be mentioned.
Commentary by * Michael Kabuni Polygamy, still practiced in some parts of Papua New Guinea, symbolized wealth and status in the country's so-called "big man" culture. The greater the fortune a man accumulated, the more wives he could support, with each wife contributing to managing the family's estate. Central also to marriage is bride price - a ceremony bringing together two families with an exchange of monies, pigs and produce. It's not always a one-way transaction, but nowadays is usually more onerous on the groom's side. In 2022, the director of the controversial Kikori Special Economic Zone in PNG - created with seed funding from Beijing - was asked if Australia or China was the preferred partner. The interview was for an Australian news report on the growing Chinese influence in PNG, particularly in the development of commercial ports which some argue could serve dual civilian-military purposes. He responded by referencing the PNG "kastom" that lingers in some parts, stating, "... we come from a culture where you marry three or four wives." This metaphor suggested that PNG does not view its foreign partnerships as an either/or scenario. Consistent with its foreign policy of "friends to all, enemy to none," PNG maintains multiple transactional relationships with Australia, China and other partners. Despite its substantial natural resources, PNG does not seem to have the economic independence or prestige to support multiple such "marriages." But what it lacks in immediate financial wealth, due to a plundering political elite, it makes up for with geo-strategic significance on the cross-roads between the Pacific and Asia. There are many prospects. Traditional ally Australia, for instance, provides about US$400 million in loans to PNG annually to support its budget, with an additional US$125 million now promised for law and order. The U.S. is expected to spend US$864 million for security initiatives on the defense cooperation agreement, while the European Union has allocated US$25 million to anti-corruption programs. Furthermore, PNG has access to multiple regional funds committed by the same partners. In 2018 for example, Japan, U.S, Australia and New Zealand collectively pledged US$1.7 billion for PNG's electricity infrastructure. These commitments were aimed at countering China's growing involvement in areas such as electricity and internet connectivity. However, according to the Lowy Institute's Pacific Aid Map, Australia provided significantly more official development assistance to PNG between 2008 and 2022 than China. During this period, Canberra pledged US$12.8 billion and spent US$11.7 billion, compared with US$6.6 billion promised by Beijing and US$2.8 billion actually delivered. While the aid figures may appear generous, the competition between the West and China has led to the securitization of developmental assistance in recent years. For example, the recently announced US$400 million by Australia to fund PNG's participation in the National Rugby League includes an implicit condition; PNG must refrain from signing a security deal with China for the next ten years or be ejected again. Although the details of this agreement are not public, the funding arrangement relies on the leverage Australia can exert by withholding or distributing the funds in installments, enabling the use of a carrot-and-stick strategy. Alternatively, once a PNG team is in the NRL and if Australia were to kick them back out, then that may end up as an own goal. No hearts and minds will be won by punishing the population of its nearest neighbor for the actions of their political elite. Although such agreements may deter a formal security deal with China, they are unlikely to significantly diminish China's influence in PNG. The country's construction sector, including work on most major infrastructure projects, is dominated by Chinese companies. Notably, many of these projects are financed by multilateral organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), predominantly funded by Western nations. In an ironic twist, the West indirectly supports China's presence in PNG through these multilateral initiatives, even as it actively seeks to curtail Beijing's influence. There has also been a resulting steep increase in the number of small- and medium-size Chinese companies operating in PNG. Of the 1800 foreign companies controlled by Chinese nationals or entities - almost double the number of Australian ones - less than 5% have more than 50 employees. While it is improbable that PNG will sign a security agreement with China soon, the West cannot prevent China's presence and growing clout in the country. China may not need to match the money West spends in PNG, and may not even require a military base to exert influence. Through initiatives like preferential trade access offered to PNG - ranging from coffee to fisheries products - China has already cemented significant economic ties. Apart from the European Union, which offers an interim Economic Partnership Agreement focused on tuna trade with PNG, no Western nation competing for an alliance has matched the breadth of trade agreements provided by China. While the West may not want PNG to add China to its family of partners, the reality is that it has already occurred, bringing its own strengths and qualities to contribute to the family's wealth overall. And while the competition for influence keeps PNG looking like an attractive match, with new potential partners continually calling in on the Pacific, the existing ones may find themselves sharing the bed with even more. *Michael Kabuni is a PhD student at the Australian National University and formerly a lecturer at the political science department at the University of Papua New Guinea. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of BenarNews. This article was first published by BenarNewsCCSC Technology International Holdings Limited Reports Financial Results for the First Six Months of Fiscal Year 2025 Ended September 30, 2024
Georgia Republicans Recommend Further Law to Restrict Transgender Women's Participation in SportsThe man who ended Nadal's career helps the Netherlands beat Germany to reach the Davis Cup final
CHICAGO -- After 76ers center Joel Embiid finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds in Philadelphia's 108-100 win against the Bulls on Sunday, he admitted it's been a difficult process for him mentally to go through trying to get his left knee to a place where he can play. "Depressing," Embiid told ESPN, when asked what the last couple of months have been like for him, after Sunday's game. "Just trying to figure it out. There's no injury. Just between the swelling ... we've got to get it figured out. That's it. "I've been saying it for the last few months. It's been extremely depressing. It's something that hasn't been figured out, and it's been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game." That has, unfortunately for both Embiid and Philadelphia, not been the case this season. Embiid missed the opening nine games of the season both because of his knee and a league suspension before returning to play in four games -- including scoring 35 points in Memphis on Nov. 20 -- before again being shut down and missing the past two-and-a-half weeks of action due to both his knee swelling up on him and personal reasons. That time away from the court ended Sunday, however, when Embiid -- after being upgraded to questionable Saturday -- went through his normal pregame workout a little less than an hour before tip and was then inserted back into the starting lineup alongside fellow All-Stars Tyrese Maxey and Paul George . Before Sunday's game here, the three of them had only shared the court for six minutes -- all in that loss in Memphis, when George hyperextended his left knee for a second time in about a month and Embiid would later have his knee struggle to respond the way he hoped it would. But, against Chicago, there were glimpses of what they can do. The trio played 26 minutes together Sunday, with the 76ers outscoring the Bulls by 14 points across those minutes. As a result, Embiid still has faith that despite the rough start to the season for the 76ers, who have now rattled off wins in four of their last five games after opening the season 3-14, there's still time for them to do the things they set out to do before the season began. "It starts with health," Embiid told ESPN. It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we're healthy, and we're on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have. "I think the whole thing is about health ... that's what it comes down to. I wish I could have been playing from the beginning. I would love to play every single game, every single minute, but sometimes your body just says 'No,' and you can't do nothing about it. All you can do is just keep working to fix it and get better." A similar thing could be said for how this game played out. The 76ers were down 10 after the first quarter, and were lucky it wasn't twice that much. Embiid missed all six of his shots in the quarter, and the Bulls, who were led by 30 points from Zach LaVine , looked like they might run Philadelphia right off the court. "I said it on the bench a couple times," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. "I was like, 'Whoa, we could be down ... we're playing so bad, right? Really bad. We were down five with a couple minutes ago. I was like, 'How are we down five?'" They wound up not being down for long once the second quarter started, because Embiid -- after missing his first seven shots of the game -- would then go on to make 8 of his next 10, outscoring the Bulls by himself (19-17) in the second as Philadelphia outscored Chicago 39-17 to stake the 76ers to a lead they would never relinquish. Many of those Embiid shots came off passes from Maxey, who registered his first career triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists -- with 10 of those assists, per ESPN Research, coming off feeds to Embiid. "It was great," Maxey said of having Embiid on the court again. "I mean, that's just who he is. I think today. It's easy, man. It's easier, man. There's a lot more space out there. I felt like today, even when he's out there and I'm not out there, it's harder to maybe trap or whatever. They can't trap ball screens, you know what I mean? Either or if they don't drive, then I can score or shoot three or if they drop too much and help too much for me, I'm pocket passing to him and he's getting a layup or a [midrange jumper] ... it makes the game easier." After beating the Bulls on Sunday to claim a fourth win in five tries following their dismal 3-14 start, the 76ers are now tied in the loss column with the Bulls and Detroit Pistons for the 10th and final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference standings -- the latest reminder of how forgiving the bottom of the East can be. Still, this team is built around Embiid, and the lingering question is how his knee will respond moving forward after playing 33 minutes Sunday. The 76ers have three games over the next 12 days due to the break in the schedule for the NBA to complete the second edition of the Emirates NBA Cup -- a period Nurse said he plans to operate like another training camp of sorts to get his team back onto the same page. Embiid himself said he's still working through the issues with his knee, and that time will tell how it responds to his latest ramp up to play. For now, though, the 76ers -- who spent a couple extra hours at the arena waiting for a plane issue to be fixed Sunday after the win -- are just happy to have their team on the court, and to finally be building some small bits of momentum. "It felt great," George said. "It felt great to finally gets some consistency with Big Fella out there and myself and [Tyrese]. It felt good to kind of put the team back together and log some minutes today."By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip killed at least 33 Palestinians on Wednesday, most of them in an airstrike on a house in Beit Lahiya town in the north of the enclave, medics said. The Beit Lahiya strike killed at least 22 people, including women and children, health officials said. Relatives listed the names of the dead on social media. More than 30 people were living in the multi-storey building before it was struck, and several family members remained missing as rescue operations continued through the morning, the Palestinian WAFA news agency said. The Israeli military said it was checking the report. In nearby Beit Hanoun, where the Israeli forces have operated since October, medics said an Israeli airstrike killed and wounded several people, without giving an exact toll. Rescue workers said several people were trapped under rubble. Earlier on Wednesday, at least seven Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, medics told Reuters. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service and medics said four other people were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on two houses in Gaza City. The Israeli military said in a statement that two rockets were fired from the central Gaza Strip into Israel, but fell in open areas and caused no injuries. It signalled the ability of Gaza militants to continue to stage rocket attacks despite 14 months of devastating Israeli aerial and ground offensives. Later on Wednesday, the Israeli military ordered residents in the Al-Maghazi camp in central Gaza to evacuate, citing rocket launches from the area. It urged them to head towards a humanitarian-designated zone near the Mediterranean coast. Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in the devastated enclave. Israel accuses the Palestinian militant group Hamas of hiding among the civilian population, a charge Hamas denies as a pretext by Israel to "justify its indiscriminate attacks". Israeli forces have been operating in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and the nearby Jabalia refugee camp since Oct. 5, fighting Hamas militants waging attacks from those areas and preventing them from regrouping, the Israeli military says. Palestinian officials and residents accuse Israel of depopulating the areas on the northern edge of the enclave to create a buffer zone, something Israel denies. Israel and Hamas have been waging war since Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The attack triggered Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 44,800 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Christina Fincher and Ros Russell)
In addition to government support and entrepreneurial initiatives, the increasing integration of SMEs into global value chains has also been instrumental in boosting their development index. By participating in international trade and collaborating with foreign partners, SMEs in China have been able to expand their market presence, access new technologies and resources, and enhance their competitive edge on a global scale. This globalization trend has opened up new opportunities for SMEs to grow and thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
For many, these images stood in stark contrast to the brutal and authoritarian image of Assad that had been widely portrayed in the media. The presentation of Assad as a loving and caring family man humanized him in a way that seemed to defy the narrative of his actions as a dictator responsible for the deaths of thousands of Syrians.Biden says the US believes journalist Austin Tice is alive after disappearing in Syria in 2012
The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning "things do change." Here's a look at some of the issues covered: Trump hems on whether trade penalties could raise prices Trump threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn't believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won't be paying more as they shop. "I can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee tomorrow," Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That's a different approach from Trump's typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich." He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. "All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said. Trump suggests retribution for his opponents while claiming no interest in vengeance He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. "Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump's role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: "I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I'm the president. But I'm not interested in that." At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. "Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee," Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, "No," and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. At another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. "I want her to do what she wants to do," he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump's inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, "I'm not looking to go back into the past." Swift action on immigration is coming Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. "I think you have to do it," he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end "birthright" citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — though such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, "I want to work something out," indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not "want to be breaking up families" of mixed legal status, "so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back." Trump commits to NATO, with conditions, and waffles on Putin and Ukraine Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he "absolutely" would remain in the alliance "if they pay their bills." Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies' commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated "fairly" on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin's invasion. "Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure," Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump called for an immediate cease-fire. Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged. "I haven't spoken to him recently," Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to "impede the negotiation." Trump says Powell is safe at the Fed, but not Wray at the FBI The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell's term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy, including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: "Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious" that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump's pick for FBI chief, then "he's going to be taking somebody's place, right? Somebody is the man that you're talking about." Trump is absolute about Social Security, not so much on abortion and health insurance Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. "We're not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient," he said. He added that "we're not raising ages or any of that stuff." He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would "probably" not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, "Well, I commit. I mean, are — things do — things change. I think they change." Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had "concepts" of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called "lousy health care." He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for "better health care for less money."
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“How does it feel?” is one way by which to measure a movie. But if you’ve seen “ A Complete Unknown ,” the Bob Dylan biopic that opened on Christmas Day, you may have left the theater singing to yourself (to the tune of “Like a Rolling Stone”): How much is reeeaaallll? The short response is: A lot. But the long answer involves acknowledging director James Mangold ’s film taking liberties in terms of a condensation of timelines, the conjoining of separate incidents, fictional character names in a couple of cases, and moments of sheer imagination and fictionalization. It’s certainly possible to enjoy “A Complete Unknown” without stressing too much over which parts are fact and which are fanciful. But for those who want to take a deep dive into how much the movie aligns with the known historical record, we looked to several Dylan experts to help sort it out. Our primary guide is Elijah Wald, who literally wrote the book on this subject — as in, the 2015 book that was optioned and gets a “based on” credit at the beginning of the film: “Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties.” He’s very high on the film, even though he’s independent enough from it to point out areas where the screenplay deviated from his source material. We also talked with David Browne, author of the recently released “Talkin’ Greenwich Village: The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America’s Bohemian Music Capitol,” who is similarly a fan of the film, even if it sketches the folk scene in shorthand. Finally, we discussed it with Ian Grant, a Dylan buff who is the co-host of two Dylan-centric podcasts, one of which, “Jokermen,” last week featured a heated discussion of the movie’s accuracy and one sticking point in particular that Grant couldn’t get past. Mangold recently told Variety that the film is “not a Wikipedia entry” and he didn’t feel a fealty to a documentary level of facts — but also pointed out that, besides relying on Wald’s book and other historical source material, he based his version of the script (co-written with Jay Cocks) on many hours he spent personally talking with Dylan. In any case, many of those who’ve been in Dylan’s orbit over the years have given it high marks. Kevin Odegard, who played guitar on “Blood on the Tracks,” wrote, “We loved every minute... Critics who pick apart the imaginative world of composite characters and compacted historical footnotes are the dogs who caught the car. They miss the emotional punch of James Mangold’s poignant Hollywood movie.” And Ronee Blakley, a veteran of the Rolling Thunder Revue tour, wrote, “I am happy for Bob to be so carefully portrayed that his legacy stirs excitement today just as it did then, his magic and greatness self-evident and timeless. And we get a glimpse of what it cost him. Timothée Chalamet deserves an award, as does the picture.” Here are some burning questions viewers might have after seeing the film, followed by some burning answers. At the Newport Folk Festival of 1965, did a dismayed fan yell out “Judas!” — to which Dylan replied, “I don’t believe you... you’re a liar”? No... not there. But as most hardcore Dylan fans will know, that exact exchange with the audience did happen a year later, at a 1966 U.K. gig in Manchester that was widely distributed as a bootleg and eventually officially released. So Mangold has combined two incidents in which at least some of the audience was rebelling against Dylan transforming himself into a rock ‘n’ roller. Podcaster Grant, who has a few other problems with the film, doesn’t think this conflation counts as one. “Ultimately, that’s just sort of nerdy fan trivia-type stuff, so I don’t really think that has a fundamental impact one way or another on the quality of the movie,” he says. How accurate, otherwise, is the climactic depiction of Dylan’s appearance at Newport in 1965 ... especially the crowd reaction, booing included? Says Browne, “If any moment in music history was born to be a scene in a biopic, it’s Dylan plugging in at that Newport — from (Pete) Seeger and the ax to the crowd reactions to Dylan returning to the stage with ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ (as a comment to the crowd ... or not). Overall, I thought the film did a good job recreating that explosion at Newport, even if the crowd shots seem a bit over the top.” In his “Dylan Goes Electric” book, Wald devotes thousands of words to recounting that fateful day, based on first-hand accounts... many of which substantially differ from others. “There were 17,000 people there,” the author points out. “Depending on where you were standing, I’m sure there were people who were surrounded by people booing, people who were surrounded by people cheering, people who heard a bit of both, people who thought everyone was just confused. Those are all accurate memories of the people around you, in a crowd of 17,000, right?” The problem in coming up with any kind of accurate consensus reaction, he says, is that “during the electric set, the microphones were turned way down because the amps were so loud on stage, so there’s no record recorded of what was happening in the audience. But critic Robert Shelton was in the audience, covering it for the New York Times. He was keeping a notebook at the time, and after ‘Maggie’s Farm,’ he writes in his notebook: ‘Some booing.’ He was writing that as things were happening, so that’s not hindsight. But none of that’s on tape. Once the band got off stage and Peter Yarrow came up to try to quiet the crowd, the microphones were turned up and then you can hear the crowd. And there are people yelling for Dylan to come back. There are also people yelling, ‘Bring back Pete Seeger.’ There are people yelling for (Dylan) to get ‘a wooden box,’ which I take to mean an acoustic guitar. There are people yelling at the other people to shut up. I mean, it was a very confusing scene.” Wald adds, “The best example I have of that is a friend of mine who was there, who has absolutely clear memories of how much he loved Dylan’s electric set — and also absolutely clear memories of coming back from Newport with a picture of Dylan on the inside of his guitar case, which he’d crossed out because he was so angry about Dylan’s electric set. And I think that’s not atypical. There were a lot of people who were upset in the moment and very quickly fell in love with the electric stuff.” A complicating factor in telling this story: Prior to the contentious Sunday electric set, Dylan had done an acoustic performance at the festival, on Saturday ... during which some people attending Newport for the first time were unhappy he wasn’t doing his new electric material! “When he went on for his acoustic set on Saturday afternoon, you can hear the audience (on tape) — there are all these people yelling for him to play ‘Like a Rolling Stone,’ because that was the hit on the radio right then. There were a lot of people who had come to Newport just to hear Bob Dylan, the friend of the Beatles, play ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and who were being really obnoxious about the other acts. Some of the people at his afternoon set were yelling at the people on the banjo stage to quiet down so they can hear Bob Dylan. So there was already a lot of irritation at the festival before he ever got on stage the next night.” Did Pete Seeger really think about taking an ax to cut the cables as Dylan was alienating some festivalgoeers with his electric set? In the film, this legend is given a nod just by Seeger (played by Edward Norton) glancing at an ax, but not actually picking it up. “I thought how they handled the ax thing in the film was pretty goddamn smart,” says Wald, even though his book goes to great lengths to discredit the idea that Seger was ever in danger of picking one up. Even Seeger eventually “said that ‘if I had an ax, I’d have cut the sound cable’ — which is just an invention. I mean, the whole ax thing was just because Peter Yarrow said (on the microphone to the crowd), ‘He’s gone to get his ax,’ when Dylan went to get a guitar” to perform the solo acoustic encore festival producers were begging for. Some heard the “ax” comment and believed Yarrow was referring to Seeger and a literal blade. One thing Wald says is completely accurate in that moment: “I love that they show that Toshi (Seeger’s wife) is the one who calms him down, which, according to their daughter, is exactly what happened — that Pete was really upset and was trying to shut things down and Toshi said, ‘Hey, cool it.’” Were Dylan and Johnny Cash devoted pen pals? Yes, this is completely accurate. “The scenes in the airplane with them writing letters back and forth, those are direct quotations, in fact, from their letters,” Wald says. He quoted some of them in his book, and as Variety noted in its coverage of the opening of the Bob Dylan Museum in Tulsa, some of those handwritten mutual fan letters are on display for fans to see up close. Did an intoxicated Cash urge Dylan on in the latter’s desire to do a rock ‘n’ roll set at Newport ’65? No, this particular meeting of rebellious minds is an invention of the screenplay. Cash wasn’t even at Newport in 1965, although he did famously play there the year before that. As for whether their scene together in a parking lot captures the spirit of the relationship... “Some of it feels real, some of it’s overdone,” says Wald. “With the Cash character, I think they overdo the goofiness a little bit. I don’t think he was destroying a lot of cars at Newport, and if he had, he’d have been more apologetic about it. I mean, Cash was very high on pills, as I believe probably Dylan was too. But although Johnny Cash was rowdy, he was not destructive in that particular way, and particularly at Newport, which was very important to Cash. He was very concerned with making a good impression at Newport because he was trying to break into the national, that is to say northern, college market. Everybody at Newport only got $50, so Johnny Cash was losing a lot of money by playing Newport, and he was there because he had the vision, which very few people in country music did, to see this potential audience for him, and he was recording Peter La Farge’s ‘Ballad of Ira Hayes’ out of (folk publication) Broadside Magazine. That’s one of the funny parts about all of this is, people positioning him as outside the folk scene. He was very much appreciating and trying to be recognized within that. That said, it isn’t a movie about Johnny Cash — Mangold already did that (with ‘Walk the Line’).” Which completely fictional scene in the movie did Dylan make up and ask James Mangold to add to the screenplay? The answer to that is completely unknown; Mangold is keeping that as a secret he holds close to his vest. But Wald is willing to hazard a hunch. “There’s this story that we’ve all heard that Dylan suggested that they add a completely fictitious scene, and nobody’s saying what it was. If I had to guess, I would guess it was the ‘Now, Voyager’ (recurring motif), just because it’s the only thing in that movie that I can easily imagine Dylan coming up with and can’t imagine someone else inventing as a part of his story.” The Dylan character and the one based on real-life girlfriend Suze Rotolo go see a revival movie early in their courtship, then reenact a moment from it in a bittersweet farewell at the climax of this film. “Because Dylan is an old movie fan, I can imagine him imagining acting out the Bette Davis/Paul Henreid scene from ‘Now, Voyager’,” Wald supposes. “It seems so unlikely to me that someone else would come up with that. When I see that, I go, ‘That’s cute.’ Did it happen? I have no idea.” Going back to the beginning: Is the film’s portrayal of Dylan’s arrival in New York and quick integration into the folk scene accurate? And how about the quick sketches of the players on that scene circa 1961? Browne, whose new “Talkin’ Greenwich Village” book lays out that folk scene in great detail, is perhaps naturally disappointed the movie skips glancingly through that period and its key figures. “As someone who spent a lot of time researching Dylan’s fellow Villagers of the time, and also meeting with and interviewing those still with us. I was struck by how few were depicted in the film,” Browne says. “Where are Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Len Chandler, Carolyn Hester and Terri Thal, Dylan’s first manager? From what I can tell, Dave Van Ronk — a towering figure even then, and someone Dylan respected, someone on whose couch he often crashed — is only in two fleeting scenes, and barely identified even then. Obviously one can’t make room for all of them in a movie like this, but without more of those characters, we don’t get as strong a sense of how disruptive Dylan was in the Village, and not just nationally. His rapport with Ochs could have made for a few meaty scenes; their rivalry embodied the topical-vs.-personal, acoustic-vs.-electric debates of the time.” Besides his “Dylan Goes Electric!” book, Wald also published a biography of Dave Van Ronk, but he isn’t bothered that that influential singer is only identified in the end credits and not even referred to by name in the film. “Van Ronk is basically non-existent in the movie, and that’s fine. I’m not cranky about that,” Wald says. “Neuwirth has a slightly larger role that I think is handled rather nicely.” Grant was thrown off by the congregation of boldface names right at the beginning. “Literally the first building he walks into in the entire city, Dave Van Ronk just comes up to him and starts talking to him, and then two hours later he’s out in New Jersey and he’s met both Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, all within about six hours of his arrival to New York. That had me rolling my eyes a little bit, even understanding that they’re gonna have to make exceptions to reality and abbreviate things for the dramatic arts’ sake.” Did Dylan’s first performances galvanize audiences from the get-go? Not as much as depicted in the film. Browne’s “Talkin’ Greenwich Village” book says that early Dylan gigs found him “awkward and out of place one moment, assured and in command the next,” with a co-manager of the Gaslight saying he was initially “disastrous” and a Daily News reporter saying he “left the stage to the sound of perhaps one hand clapping.” Certainly Shelton, Albert Grossman, Joan Baez, et al. were never in the same room on the same night, as portrayed. Says Browne, “In talking with people from the scene and reading first-hand accounts from those who have since passed, I was struck by how jarring Dylan’s voice, guitar playing and early repertoire were to so many in the Village at the time. His approach wasn’t as formal as some of the area folk singers who’d come before him in the ‘40s and ‘50s; with his phrasing, humor and energy, he injected a far more rock ‘n’ roll sensibility onto those tiny stages. That roughness captivated some and caused others to bristle, and we don’t get much of that sense in the film. It wasn’t love at first sight or sound for everyone.” Robert Shelton of the New York Times wrote that he was “bursting at the seams with talent” only upon seeing him a second time at Folk City — a notice that made a big difference in Dylan’s career. So Browne was happy to see him portrayed in the movie. “In terms of the local press, Shelton practically had the folk club to himself, and in the New York Times to boot. He also championed everyone from Buffy Sainte-Marie to Eric Andersen, helping with their careers. Speaking as a journalist myself, one of my takeaways from my research was the power of the press in those days. Even in the ‘70s, newer Village acts like Steve Forbert, the Roches and Willie Nile landed record deals right after they were praised by Times critics John Rockwell and Robert Palmer. How often does that happen now?” Did his first encounter with Joan Baez involve insulting her from the stage after following her at a NYC folk club? That’s invented. In fact, Baez wasn’t hanging around New York at all. “Joan did not like New York. She was from Cambridge, which as a group considered themselves the purists and the New York people to be running after the money. Joan was the prime example of that, turning down Columbia Records and Albert Grossman and staying in Cambridge and then going off to Carmel, California. Bobby Neuwirth was also Cambridge, not New York. But you have to simplify stuff like that, and I think it was a good choice for the movie.” Says Browne, “As Baez told me in an interview for the book, she and Dylan first met outside Gerde’s Folk City in 1961. She’d driven from Boston to the city to attend a protest in Washington Square Park (the infamous “Beatnik Riot”) and just missed it – but, since she was there, decided to check out this kid she’d already started hearing about. She was struck by his stage presence right away, and he introduced himself to her outside the club and sang her a song, but there’s no record of any initial cutting remarks. She also didn’t realize he was more, um, intrigued by her sister Mimi than her at the time.” How about the portrayal of Joan Baez in general? “I was utterly blown away by (Monica) Barbaro’s singing,” says Wald. “Going in, I had thought a good actor can act Bob Dylan singing, because Bob Dylan singing is all about the phrasing, but acting Joan Baez’s voice, which is all about the instrument — I thought Barbaro did an astonishing job. She doesn’t sound exactly like Joan, but boy, she sure as hell sounds good.” Says Grant, “I think that she’s given a relative fair shake in the movie. The film paints her in a more fair and attractive light than someone like Joan Didion did. I don’t know if you’ve ever read Joan Didion’s writings about Joan Baez, but it’s a brutal dressing-down, unfairly. in many cases. But I think she’s fairly drawn, and is more interesting and comes across as more of a real human being than the Suze Rotolo character, or Sylvie Russo as she’s called in the movie.” Grant also liked the way a Halloween 1964 interchange between Dylan and Baez on stage at a New York Philharmonic show was portrayed. “They end up almost getting into this fight up there on stage — that’s a fun and, I think, a well-drawn scene. That’s one of the great early solo acoustic performances by Bob, right before he’s about to go into electric mode the following year — and the relationship dynamic, I think, between him and Joan is one of the best parts of that performance.” How about the Sylvie character, who everyone agrees to assume is meant to be Suze Rotolo? Says Wald, “They changed Suze’s name and fictionalized her a good deal. But honestly, I had been afraid that they would just make her the nice girl next door, who he left for the mysterious Joan, rather than being the political conscience who got him into political music. So I was really pleased that they have her working for CORE and getting Dylan out to political things. And I was pleased that they have her leaving him rather than vice versa.” Grant says that the movie accurately indicates that “she is the one that introduced Bob to political songwriting in the first place, by kind of bringing him into a lot of the student actions and rallies and meetings and stuff that she had already been attending by the time Bob showed up. They do gesture at that in the movie, but I think she’s really just turned into wallpaper by the end of the picture.” Was there a love triangle that was still unfolding by the time of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival between Dylan, Baez and Suze Rotolo? No. The movie is ambiguous about why Dylan offers to drive Rotolo to the festival on his motorcycle and then leaves her to tearfully witness his chemistry with Baez — whether there is lingering romantic interest there. In any case, Rotolo did not attend the festival and was long out of his life romantically by then. So was Baez, for that matter, though they still shared some stages. The “triangle” there is played more for symbolism about two different ways of beings Dylan is simultaneously casting aside, even as the focus moves toward his artistic changes. Is there any potential major character that’s left out completely? It’s funny you should ask that. Grant’s big beef with the movie (one that was also expressed by New Yorker critic Richard Brody, whom Grant amplified on social media and in a Jokermen podcast): the lack of any mention of Sara Lownds, who was soon to become Sara Dylan. Lownds and Dylan first got together romantically in 1964, and by the time Newport ’65 transpired, they’d already taken a lengthy vacation together. He married her just a few months after Newport. But she’s not mentioned in the movie. “She doesn’t exist in this reality, basically,” says Grant. “Meanwhile, Joan Baez and Suze, or Sylvie, are two characters meant to stand for two different ways of being in the world, positioned against one another. Bob obviously is drawn to elements of each, but ultimately decides that neither of them is as important to him as his ability to continue to follow the muse. But in reality, he does find the perfect person for him, a romantic partner that works with his creative life, and with whom he actually strikes up a very rich and rewarding family life just after this movie ends — and was already involved with at the time — in Sara. It tells a false sort of a half-truth at best, if not an outright fabrication, about Bob’s relationship to romantic partners in his life. The movie does nail aspects of that, certainly, with these characters and kind of the dirtbag way he treated some people early on. But to present this as sort of the defining holistic picture of this man, when obviously he is fundamentally a different human being at this moment in time, to say nothing of the ways that he’s going to change in the months and years to come, just sort of strikes a downward note to me.” Grant adds, “The Suze character in the picture is representative of kind of the civilian way of life, or the non-arts way of being in the world. The character paints and she’s active in the left student movement, but she’s fundamentally just kind of like a ‘normal person’ as opposed to someone like Bob Dylan or Joan Baez, who are these generationally talented celebrity artists. The Suze Rotolo character is unsatisfactory for him, because he’s too big, too brilliant, too brash to settle down with someone like that. In reality, he does settle down with someone like that. Obviously Sara is a very different person than Suze herself. But I think on that basic understanding level of someone who isn’t running in the scene, someone who isn’t obsessed with celebrity, someone who isn’t out to make a name for themselves, that’s exactly the kind of person that he ends up spending the next 10 years being married to.” Because so much of Dylan’s music over the next 13 years was inspired by Sara, both in romance and ultimately in divorce, Grant says “that to me is such a ‘Rosebud’ type of thing, to borrow ‘Citizen Kane’ terminology, in Bob’s life. That is the single source which so many decisions are made out of and so many songs written from. So, I think that kind of why I’m so hyperfocused on that element of things here.” As for why Dylan’s then-romantic partner and future wife isn’t portrayed in the final stretch of the film, it may be because a romantic quadrangle was a bridge too far for the scriptwriters. Or, in Grant’s view, because Dylan is committed to keeping his former wife out of things, since she has chosen to live a private life and not comment publicly on their relationship, as Suze Rotolo finally did before the end of her life, with a memoir. (Even then, Dylan was protective in insisting she be fictionalized for the film.) Grant counters that by noting that the Dylan/Lownds relationship was dramatized in the Heath Ledger segment of Todd Haynes’ 2007 “I’m Not There” movie, albeit with everyone in that portion — the Dylan character included — being identified by pseudonyms. On a more mundane note... how accurate are some of the studio moments portrayed in the film? Like Al Kooper playing the organ part on “Like a Rolling Stone” spontaneously, as a non-organ player? There are a lot of what might be considered Easter-egg moments for Dylan fans to latch onto. For example, when “Like a Rolling Stone” is being recorded, the musician Al Kooper comes to the studio, announces himself as the guitar player, and is informed that they already have one of those, so he places himself at the organ instead, playing what becomes a world-famous part, despite his discomfort with the instrument. As a whole, that’s true, although it didn’t happen in the matter of virtual seconds it does on film, and the band wa a few takes in before those famous licks started up. On the other hand, Kooper gets short shrift as the actual purchaser of the police whistle heard on the “Highway 61 Revisited” album; the movie shows Dylan being inspired to pick that up from a street vendor on his own. Moving back to Newport ’65... did manager Albert Grossman and folk music legend and festival mainstay Alan Lomax really get in a physical struggle? Yes, although not during or about Dylan’s performance. Wald doesn’t mind that the fight got transferred from one moment to another, since he’s pleased about the portrayal of Lomax generally. “I think they got some things right about Lomax that everybody gets wrong and that nobody will notice that they got right except me,” Wald says. “Everybody has Lomax as being anti-electricity, and that’s absolutely wrong. Lomax was, in fact, I think the first folklorist ever to record a band with an electric guitar back in the ‘40s. Lomax thought rock ‘n’ roll was great! What set him off at Newport was the Paul Butterfield Band, and it was not that they were playing loud electric music. It was that he was the guy who had discovered Muddy Waters, and he was upset that the first electric band invited to Newport was a bunch of white college kids. They have exactly that scene in the movie with him complaining about them being a white band who is fake and being brought in because Grossman is managing them. Which wasn’t quite true; he was still courting them. I do think everybody will see the film and walk out still thinking that Lomax hated electricity, even though they don’t say that, because that has become the myth. His fight with Grossman was real, but had nothing to do with Dylan.” Adds Wald, ”The funny thing about Lomax is, Lomax had no more time for Dylan as an acoustic singer-songwriter than as an electric singer-songwriter. He liked folk music as the music of the peasantry and the proletariat, and he thought people like Dylan and the New Lost City Ramblers and Dave Van Ronk were fake — and it had nothing to do with electric and acoustic... which, as I say, the movie actually got right, but not in a way that anybody but me will notice. I also don’t think that scene ever happened in the board meeting, where he blows up and Peter Yarrow walks out. I don’t think that’s ‘real,’ but it’s true — it’s completely accurate to the people.” Did Dylan really sit in on an episode of Pete Seeger’s TV show with the host and a blues player? No — that scene is fictional, and so is the character name of the bluesman, although he’s based on Big Bill Morganfield. And yet Wald is delighted by the scene because it illuminates a versatility and curiosity that the author thinks Seeger doesn’t get enough credit for. “I’ve never been in rooms with Dylan, so I can’t speak to that, but I knew Seeger, and Ed Norton as Seeger... both I and people who knew Pete much better than I did are blown away. Even more than that, they got the music right from beginning to end, and there’s so much music, and not just Dylan’s music. That scene where Dylan and Big Bill Morganfield are playing blues together and Seeger starts playing banjo along with them — now, that didn’t happen, but that’s exactly the way Seeger played banjo when he was jamming with blues people. And most people aren’t even aware that Pete Seeger could jam on a blues, including a lot of people who were pretty deep in the scene. That’s absolutely accurate, except that particular meeting didn’t happen in that particular place.” What about the portrayal of Seeger generally — does he get a fair and accurate shake? And is the film really about folk versus rock? Says Wald, “I’m so used to people who are doing the Dylan story being interested in Dylan and casting Seeger as one of the boring old folkies. What I was trying to do in my book was suggest that he was as complicated and in some ways as difficult a person as Dylan, and that they just were on different paths — sometimes the same, but at that moment, at Newport, very much not. But then again, after that, (they remained friends), which is another thing I liked about the movie.” And even if it was concocted, Wald loves having the movie end with a scene of Dylan back in Woody Guthrie’s hospital room playing harmonica along with “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You” — an indication that the newly minted rocker really isn’t leaving folk behind at all, at least hardly for good. “The way that story was told in the ‘70s always was from a rock point of view,” Wald says, “written by people who had never liked folk music and never liked Pete Seeger, and felt like the story was Dylan liberating himself from the boring old folkies and proving the rock ‘n’ rollers were right. By now, though, we all think of Dylan as deep Americana, someone who has remained very true to that tradition. And so I just think that that whole incident looks very different, not just in the film, but pretty much to anyone younger — it makes perfect sense to think of that moment as Dylan trying to break away from the folk scene , but not from folk music . Which is true. “I mean, ‘Maggie’s Farm’ is sort of exhibit A. When Dylan is singing ‘Ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more’ at the beginning of the Newport ’65 performance, it’s absolutely a declaration of independence from that scene. But it’s based a song about sharecroppers, ‘Penny’s Farm,’ from the 1920s, which Pete Seeger had recorded in 1950! “At the time, Seeger was really upset by what he heard as the aggression. What you see in the film, with Dylan and the guys with him being sick of being stuck in this box, and ‘we’re gonna show the goddamn folkies,’ I think that’s accurate. And there’s a thing I quote in my book that he wrote that very week where he said he felt it was angry and destructive. But he was a man given to a great deal of soul-searching. And he rather quickly decided that he had misunderstood, and that ‘Maggie’s Farm’ was in fact a brilliant song, and that Dylan had indeed been sort of crushed into a box and had to escape. And they made up and they continued to get together over the years.”Srinagar Post-Snowfall: Snow Clearance Issues Stall City Traffic, SMC Claims Major Roads Cleared
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As the calendar flips to 2025, it’s time to embrace the new year with fresh opportunities for health and wellness, right here in Athens. From fitness classes to creative outlets to volunteering, our city offers plenty of options to rejuvenate both your body and mind. Here are just a few local ideas to help you get started: 1. Start Strong at the Cain Center YMCA The Cain Center YMCA is the heart of fitness in Athens. Whether you're looking for group exercise classes like yoga or high-energy Zumba, or prefer the 24/7 solitude of the gym’s state-of-the-art equipment, there’s something for everyone. Pickleball is readily available for those eager to explore this trending sport. For year-round water lovers, the heated indoor pool is perfect for laps or water aerobics. If you’re new to fitness, consider signing up for one of the beginner-friendly classes or make an appointment with a personal trainer to ease into your wellness journey. 2. Explore the 100 acres at the East Texas Arboretum Reconnect with nature while walking the serene trails at the East Texas Arboretum. A morning or lunch stroll through the gardens offers exercise and a mental reset. Pack a journal or a book and spend some time reflecting in one of the arboretum’s peaceful nooks. Make it a weekly ritual to prioritize quiet time amidst nature. Bring the whole family and immerse yourselves in the natural beauty of the arboretum. 3. Engage your mind in community classes Athens is home to a variety of workshops and activities designed to stimulate your creativity. Pop into a class with Carolyn Tyler and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Check out one of the workshops hosted by the Arboretum. Look into adult and continuing education classes at Trinity Valley Community College and expand your knowledge. Engage in your theatrical side with a class at Stage Notes Academy of Performing Arts. Book a cooking class with 6 Forks Farm and enhance your kitchen skills. These activities are not just about creating something new - they’re also proven to reduce stress and boost mental health. 4. Embrace lake life Take advantage of the beauty and recreational opportunities at Lake Athens. Whether it’s kayaking, fishing, or simply enjoying the fresh air, spending time by the water is a great way to reset and connect with nature. 5. Take care of your whole self Athens is home to a host of medical professionals who want to get you the healthiest you’ve ever been. Make an annual appointment and have bloodwork done, even if it’s been many years since your last one. There are several great chiropractors and wellness clinics that have your whole body's health in mind, one partnering with a yoga studio. Make an appointment at one of the many great spas that Athens has to offer and get a massage or facial more than once in 2025. Open up about your mental health with trusted friends or family, creating a space where honest conversations feel natural and supportive. Sharing your thoughts can strengthen connections and promote well-being for everyone involved. 6. Take up golf Did you know that the Athens area is now a haven for golf lovers with 3 options within 10 minutes of downtown? Been a few years since you’ve swung, never tried, or just want to see what it’s about? Stop by the Athens Country Club for the full club golf experience. Choose from hundreds of courses, train with the newest technology technology, or play a family fun round at Square Fairways indoor golf simulator venue downtown. Pitch ‘N Putt Baxter, TX is a great place to work on your short game in a beautiful country setting, and make sure to follow their Facebook to catch live music lineups. Wanna drive a little further, there are even more courses to choose from within 30 minutes. 7. Volunteer Not only does volunteering boost your mental health by giving back, but there are so many that benefit from the time you give. Join the Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Masons, Methodist Men, and more and find a group that not only serves others but also provides a form of unique fellowship. Volunteer opportunities with organizations like Henderson County Food Pantry, Athens Animal Shelter, or Keep Athens Beautiful can get you moving while connecting with the community. Helping others is a meaningful way to start the year with purpose. Start the new year with a fresh focus on your health and wellness by taking advantage of the many local resources Athens has to offer. From outdoor adventures and fitness classes to mindfulness practices and community activities, there’s something for everyone to embrace a healthier, happier 2025.Is Steve Smith finished? No, you won’t get an answer on that – not when a lucky bounce, a dropped catch or a fluke deflection will take all the science out of it. It’s not the most interesting question anyway. The question is how long Smith intends to stay in Test cricket, and it becomes more pressing the longer his dry run continues. There is also the matter of how long such a towering senior player’s performance is allowed to affect their teammates. It is 13 matches since Smith passed three figures, at Lord’s in 2023. In that time, he averages 29.55. His past seven Test innings (picked selectively, since his unbeaten 91 as an opener against the West Indies in Brisbane) have been 31, 0, 11, 9, 0, 17 and 2. Including that innings in Brisbane, his 2024 tally is 232 runs at 23.20. No amount of slicing and dicing can prettify it. Smith’s intention becomes the sole factor because the current selection panel has a proven record of not being able to drop Australian Test players. In three years on the panel, George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and Andrew McDonald have not dropped one single player on a performance basis. The nearest they have come was omitting Marcus Harris at the fag-end of the 2021-22 Ashes series, but that was a reshuffle caused by Travis Head returning following a positive COVID test. Harris was subsequently selected for ongoing Cricket Australia contracts. You have to go back to 2019, before any of the current selectors were on the panel, when Cameron Bancroft was the last Australian player to be dropped. It’s quite a record. It also shows why the chatter around Marnus Labuschagne’s place after Perth was idle speculation. I just wish these selectors were corporate executives given a list of redundancy numbers to fill. Smith’s future, like David Warner’s before him, is in his own hands. His record of 9704 runs at 56.09 gives him that grace, and the selectors’ forbearance means it is a grace that will last as long as Smith wants it. Illustration: Simon Letch Credit: Few have ever been able to guess what goes on inside Steve Smith’s idiosyncratic mind, and it would be folly to start. A couple of observations from the outside. First is that his singular technique never looked like it would age well. Moving so far across the crease, front-on, required two outstanding qualities of the eye. One was to be able to hit every single ball on his pads, because otherwise he was lbw. The other was to have the clarity of mind to judge balls that might be coming in from his off side. This required a quickness and instinct that cannot be taught or imitated. They were Smith’s own. But they were always abilities requiring a young, supple mind. There’s a reason batting isn’t taught that way. Orthodoxy is coached because it survives better. It compensates for other weaknesses. But even masters of orthodoxy such as Greg Chappell , Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting declined after 35. News bulletin (send it to Washington and Moscow, please): ageing is a thing. Smith’s motivations are opaque. It wasn’t a good sign when he selected himself as an opener this year because, in his words, he wanted a new challenge. It didn’t start well and it ended with 51 runs in four innings in New Zealand. Then came the reversion to No.4. The whole escapade was a minor humiliation for one of the greats of the game that wouldn’t have been allowed if the selectors had any authority. Steve Smith hasn’t scored a Test century in 2024. Credit: AP On the field, Smith doesn’t give away clues, and only his closest circle would have much of an idea how he is thinking and feeling. You would expect he is aiming at the 296 runs he still needs to pass the magic 10,000, or a last Ashes campaign next year, but these are only guesses. Making the battle harder still is that the Border-Gavaskar series is a bowlers’ one. Dr Grace said the crowd had come to watch him bat, not someone else bowl, but Australia and India have bedazzling attacks. All the Australian pacemen have been outstanding, but the results in Perth and Adelaide have been determined pretty much by Jasprit Bumrah’s first spell on the first day. In Perth he was sublime. In Adelaide, affected by injury or not, his first spell was poor. The Australian top order, again trying to leave everything, was there for the taking, but Bumrah could not find his accuracy. Nor could his back-ups, and India did not have Australia’s bowling depth. In Adelaide, Labuschagne and Nathan McSweeney survived that day-one session, setting the match up for Travis Head on day two. Not Smith, whose technique again showed signs of age and the bad luck that comes with it. Simon Katich has made the astute observation that although Smith might have a big innings in him – something to answer the critics, to reassure himself, to reprise his glory days – but his era of dominating bowlers with consistent plunder is over. He is far from alone. In recent times, only Brian Lara (nine), Kumar Sangakkara (eight) and Usman Khawaja (seven) have continued to score Test centuries consistently after turning 35. All three played with orthodox methods. The hunger remains sharp, at times, but every other part loses that fraction of a per cent that makes the difference at the highest level. A last hurrah is nobody’s entitlement, but cricket is a sentimentalist’s game that doesn’t want to see its highest achievers fade away ingloriously. I don’t think any genuine cricket fan would not wish Smith well. Same for Khawaja, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But no matter how they go in the middle, they share one certainty. They won’t get the chop. Today’s players can retire on their own timetable. Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter .
Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly from 95% in 2022. Nearly three-quarters said they visit YouTube every day. There was a slight downward trend in several popular apps teens used. For instance, 63% of teens said they used TikTok, down from 67% and Snapchat slipped to 55% from 59%. This small decline could be due to pandemic-era restrictions easing up and kids having more time to see friends in person, but it's not enough to be truly meaningful . X saw the biggest decline among teenage users. Only 17% of teenagers said they use X, down from 23% in 2022, the year Elon Musk bought the platform. Reddit held steady at 14%. About 6% of teenagers said they use Threads, Meta's answer to X that launched in 2023. The report comes as countries around the world are grappling with how to handle the effects of social media on young people's well-being. Australia recently passed a law banning kids under 16 from social networks, though it's unclear how it will be able to enforce the age limit — and whether it will come with unintended consequences such as isolating vulnerable kids from their peers. Meta's messaging service WhatsApp was a rare exception in that it saw the number of teenage users increase, to 23% from 17% in 2022. Pew also asked kids how often they use various online platforms. Small but significant numbers said they are on them “almost constantly.” For YouTube, 15% reported constant use, for TikTok, 16% and for Snapchat, 13%. As in previous surveys, girls were more likely to use TikTok almost constantly while boys gravitated to YouTube. There was no meaningful gender difference in the use of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Roughly a quarter of Black and Hispanic teens said they visit TikTok almost constantly, compared with just 8% of white teenagers. The report was based on a survey of 1,391 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 conducted from Sept. 18 to Oct. 10, 2024.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The guy on the Philly sports talk radio station had something to say, and he started to vent about the perceived strained relationship between star quarterback Jalen Hurts and standout wide receiver A.J. Brown. Why weren’t these two Pro Bowl Eagles on the same page? Why had their personal and professional relationship changed even with Philadelphia enjoying tremendous success? It was football gossip usually ripe for a hot-take host or fed-up fan to stir up on the air — only in this instance, the temperature check came from inside the locker room. Normally respected team leader Brandon Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, noted in a radio appearance that “ things have changed ” between Hurts and Brown in the wake of a stale passing game in last week’s win over Carolina. An apologetic Graham walked back his comments. Hurts and Brown both insisted their relationship was cool in front of media hordes more appropriate for the Super Bowl. As for the rest of the Eagles, they were ready to squash the so-called controversy. “We are moving on,” offensive lineman and Christmas song crooner Jordan Mailata said. “It is the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Not the A.J. Brown and Jalen Show. It is the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s it.” Oh yeah, the Steelers! Lost in the brouhaha ignited in a Philly sports bar is the fact that sitting — and winning — on the western side of Pennsylvania are the Steelers (10-3). Unlike most matchups in series history, this one Sunday at the Linc comes with the tantalizing appeal of a potential Super Bowl preview. The Steelers have won seven of eight, and the Eagles (11-2) have won nine straight and could clinch the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss or tie. It's the first time the teams — among the original eight NFL teams — will play each other when they both have a double-digit win total. Both teams are in strong position for a playoff run — the Eagles led by Saquon Barkley and his pursuit of Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record; Russell Wilson and the soft-schedule Steelers atop the AFC North in large part thanks to six wins against teams that currently have losing records. “I do like playing really good people, I think there's growth in it,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “You've got to get the job done. But man, I think there's significant growth in pitting your collective talents and skills versus big-time opponents and they're certainly that.” Will the drama out of Philly this week affect the Eagles? They certainly don't think so and neither do the oddsmakers — the Eagles are 5 1/2-point favorites, per BetMGM. “What I’ve noticed about this football team is they’re so locked in and determined to get better each day,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We don’t really want anyone else talking to us about anything other than the Pittsburgh Steelers.” Good luck with that, Coach. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. Barkley watch Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,623 yards, 216 yards ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. He is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace, and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, which would put him just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 in 1984. Barkley doesn’t need much of a reminder from his 2020 performance when, while playing for the New York Giants, he ran into a Pittsburgh defense that seemed reminiscent of its famed Steel Curtain. The Steelers held Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries. Bye, George The Steelers will have to find a way forward against the NFL’s toughest defense without wide receiver George Pickens, who will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Pittsburgh survived last week against Cleveland, with Mike Williams and Scotty Miller — afterthoughts of late — coming off the bench to make an impact. While Tomlin believes “the strength of the pack is the pack,” the reality is the Steelers don’t have anyone who can stretch the field like Pickens, who leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (850) by a wide margin. It’s a challenge, but considering the way Wilson has spread the ball around — eight players caught passes against the Browns — he won’t lack for options. “Everybody in the receiver room has a different skill set, different strengths,” Calvin Austin III said. “The coaching staff knows that and they know how to put us in position to be able to show that.” Playoff preview The cross-state trip to Philadelphia, where the Steelers haven’t won in nearly 60 years, is the start of an 11-day stretch in which Pittsburgh faces three teams likely bound for the playoffs. While Tomlin is leaning into the “nameless, gray faces” mantra he uses for every opponent, his players know facing the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs in such a short period is a litmus test for what’s to come in January. “That’s why I’m in the league, period,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “When you sign up to play football, you want to play at the highest level. ... I love to play the game the right way. I think these next few games is going to show that and it starts with the Eagles.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNew Delhi: The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) on Saturday announced a cash award of Rs 25 lakh for young Nitish Reddy, acknowledging his maiden Test century effort, which was crucial to India’s fightback in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The 21-year-old Reddy scored a resilient unbeaten 105 to steer India to 358 for nine on the third day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. “It is a fortunate day and a happiest moment for the Andhra Cricket Association. We are very happy that a boy from Andhra has been picked for the Test format and international T20 format. As an honour, on behalf of the Andhra Cricket Association, Rs 25 lakh prize money is being given to Nitish Kumar Reddy,” (ACA) President Kesineni Sivanath said. Reddy, who has been a standout performer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, showed his grit again in the fourth Test, sharing a crucial 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar (50 off 162 balls). Reddy’s remarkable innings was praised by cricketing legends with Sunil Gavaskar describing it as one of the greatest Test knocks in India’s Test history.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its fourth loss in the last six days. It’s a pause for the index, which has been rallying toward one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 234 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report early in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they dilute one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders are widely expecting the Fed will ease its main interest rate at its meeting next week. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which lowered rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.7% and was one of the heaviest weights on the market despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.4% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move “enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 3.2% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.94 points to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 234.55 to 43,914.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 132.05 to 19,902.84. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.33% from 4.27% late Wednesday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
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Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Total Revenue of $529.4 million , up 22% Year-over-Year Continued Strong Customer Growth with Over 52,600 Customers as of October 31, 2024 MongoDB Atlas Revenue up 26% Year-over-Year; 68% of Total Q3 Revenue NEW YORK , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDB ) today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended October 31, 2024 . "MongoDB's third quarter results were significantly ahead of expectations on the top and bottom line, driven by better-than-expected EA performance and 26% Atlas revenue growth. We continue to see success winning new business due to the superiority of MongoDB's developer data platform in addressing a wide variety of mission-critical use cases," said Dev Ittycheria, President and Chief Executive Officer of MongoDB. "We continue to invest in our legacy app modernization and AI offerings as our document model and distributed architecture are exceptionally well suited for customers looking to build highly-performant, modern applications. MongoDB is in a great position to be a central pillar of the emerging AI tech stack and benefit from the next wave of application development in the years ahead." Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Revenue: Total revenue was $529.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, an increase of 22% year-over-year. Subscription revenue was $512.2 million , an increase of 22% year-over-year, and services revenue was $17.2 million , an increase of 18% year-over-year. Gross Profit: Gross profit was $394.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, representing a 74% gross margin compared to 75% in the year-ago period. Non-GAAP gross profit was $405.7 million , representing a 77% non-GAAP gross margin, consistent with a non-GAAP gross margin of 77% in the year-ago period. Loss from Operations: Loss from operations was $27.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, compared to a loss from operations of $45.2 million in the year-ago period. Non-GAAP income from operations was $101.5 million , compared to non-GAAP income from operations of $78.5 million in the year-ago period. Net Loss: Net loss was $9.8 million , or $0.13 per share, based on 74.0 million weighted-average shares outstanding, for the third quarter of fiscal 2025. This compares to a net loss of $29.3 million , or $0.41 per share, in the year-ago period. Non-GAAP net income was $98.1 million , or $1.16 per share, based on 84.2 million diluted weighted-average shares outstanding. This compares to a non-GAAP net income of $79.1 million , or $0.96 per share, in the year-ago period. Cash Flow : As of October 31, 2024 , MongoDB had $2.3 billion in cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash. During the three months ended October 31, 2024 , MongoDB generated $37.4 million of cash in operations, used $2.0 million of cash in capital expenditures and used $0.9 million of cash in principal repayments of finance leases, leading to free cash flow of $34.6 million , compared to free cash flow of $35.0 million in the year-ago period. A reconciliation of each non-GAAP measure to the most directly comparable GAAP measure has been provided in the financial statement tables included at the end of this press release. An explanation of these measures is also included below under the heading "Non-GAAP Financial Measures." Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 and Recent Business Highlights MongoDB announced the general availability of MongoDB 8.0, the best-performing version of MongoDB. With more than 45 architectural enhancements and new features like vector quantization in MongoDB Atlas Vector Search, MongoDB 8.0 provides significant performance improvements, reduced costs, and additional scalability, resilience, and data security capabilities. MongoDB continues to expand its partnerships with the major cloud providers. At Amazon Web Services' (AWS) re:Invent conference, MongoDB was named AWS's Technology Partner of the Year for North America . MongoDB also announced that it obtained the AWS Modernization Competency designation and launched a MongoDB University course focused on building AI applications with MongoDB and AWS. At Microsoft Ignite, MongoDB announced new technology integrations for AI, data analytics, and automating database deployments across on-premises, cloud, and edge environments. Launched in July 2024 , the MongoDB AI Applications Program (MAAP) is designed to help companies unleash the power of their data and to take advantage of rapidly advancing AI technologies. We recently announced that Capgemini, Confluent, IBM, Unstructured, and QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey have joined the MAAP ecosystem, offering customers additional integration and solution options. Executive Leadership Update Michael Gordon , MongoDB's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, will be stepping down at the end of the Company's fiscal year on January 31, 2025 , and afterwards will serve as an advisor to ensure a smooth transition. The Company has commenced an executive search process for a new CFO and will evaluate internal and external candidates. Serge Tanjga, MongoDB's Senior Vice President of Finance, will serve as interim CFO starting February 1st if a permanent successor has not been named by that date. Dev Ittycheria commented, "On behalf of everyone at MongoDB, I want to thank Michael for everything he has done to contribute to our success in his nearly 10 years with the company. In Michael's time here, MongoDB had a successful IPO, has grown revenue nearly 50x and has successfully scaled the business model to generate meaningful operating leverage. Michael has also built out a world-class finance team that I am confident will deliver a smooth transition to a new CFO in the coming months." Michael Gordon said, "I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished as a team in my almost ten years with the company. While we have achieved much success to date, I strongly believe MongoDB is still in the early stages of realizing its full potential as it continues to expand its share in one of the largest markets in software. I'd like to thank Dev for our tremendous partnership this past decade." Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2025 Guidance Based on information available to management as of today, December 9, 2024 , MongoDB is issuing the following financial guidance for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2025. Reconciliations of non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income per share guidance to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are not available without unreasonable efforts on a forward-looking basis due to the high variability, complexity and low visibility with respect to the charges excluded from these non-GAAP measures; in particular, the measures and effects of stock-based compensation expense specific to equity compensation awards that are directly impacted by unpredictable fluctuations in MongoDB's stock price. MongoDB expects the variability of the above charges to have a significant, and potentially unpredictable, impact on its future GAAP financial results. Conference Call Information MongoDB will host a conference call today, December 9, 2024 , at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss its financial results and business outlook. A live webcast of the call will be available on the "Investor Relations" page of MongoDB's website at https://investors.mongodb.com . To access the call by phone, please go to this link ( registration link ), and you will be provided with dial in details. To avoid delays, we encourage participants to dial into the conference call fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. A replay of the webcast will also be available for a limited time at http://investors.mongodb.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements concerning MongoDB's financial guidance for the fourth fiscal quarter and full year fiscal 2025. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "will," "would" or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions or variations. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on the information currently available to us and on assumptions we have made. Although we believe that our plans, intentions, expectations, strategies and prospects as reflected in or suggested by those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that the plans, intentions, expectations or strategies will be attained or achieved. Furthermore, actual results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements and are subject to a variety of assumptions, uncertainties, risks and factors that are beyond our control including, without limitation: our customers renewing their subscriptions with us and expanding their usage of software and related services; the effects of the ongoing military conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas on our business and future operating results; economic downturns and/or the effects of rising interest rates, inflation and volatility in the global economy and financial markets on our business and future operating results; our potential failure to meet publicly announced guidance or other expectations about our business and future operating results; our limited operating history; our history of losses; failure of our platform to satisfy customer demands; the effects of increased competition; our investments in new products and our ability to introduce new features, services or enhancements; our ability to effectively expand our sales and marketing organization; our ability to continue to build and maintain credibility with the developer community; our ability to add new customers or increase sales to our existing customers; our ability to maintain, protect, enforce and enhance our intellectual property; the effects of social, ethical and regulatory issues relating to the use of new and evolving technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in our offerings or partnerships; the growth and expansion of the market for database products and our ability to penetrate that market; our ability to integrate acquired businesses and technologies successfully or achieve the expected benefits of such acquisitions; our ability to maintain the security of our software and adequately address privacy concerns; our ability to manage our growth effectively and successfully recruit and retain additional highly-qualified personnel; and the price volatility of our common stock. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2024 , filed with the SEC on August 30, 2024 . Additional information will be made available in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 , and other filings and reports that we may file from time to time with the SEC. Except as required by law, we undertake no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release includes the following financial measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the SEC: non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per share and free cash flow. Non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin exclude expenses associated with stock-based compensation. Non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share exclude: expenses associated with stock-based compensation including employer payroll taxes upon the vesting and exercising of stock-based awards and expenses related to stock appreciation rights previously issued to our employees in China ; amortization of intangible assets for the acquired technology and acquired customer relationships associated with prior acquisitions; and in the case of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share, amortization of the debt issuance costs associated with our convertible senior notes and gains or losses on our financial instruments; additionally, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share are adjusted for an assumed provision for income taxes based on an estimated long-term non-GAAP tax rate. The non-GAAP tax rate was calculated utilizing a three-year financial projection that excludes the direct impact of the GAAP to non-GAAP adjustments and considers other factors such as operating structure and existing tax positions in various jurisdictions. We intend to periodically reevaluate the projected long-term tax rate, as necessary, for significant events and our ongoing analysis of relevant tax law changes. MongoDB uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and believes they are useful to investors, as a supplement to GAAP measures, in evaluating MongoDB's ongoing operational performance. MongoDB believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing its financial results with other companies in MongoDB's industry, many of which may present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. Free cash flow represents net cash from/used in operating activities, less capital expenditures, principal repayments of finance lease liabilities and capitalized software development costs, if any. MongoDB uses free cash flow to understand and evaluate its liquidity and to generate future operating plans. The exclusion of capital expenditures, principal repayments of finance lease liabilities and amounts capitalized for software development facilitates comparisons of MongoDB's liquidity on a period-to-period basis and excludes items that it does not consider to be indicative of its liquidity. MongoDB believes that free cash flow is a measure of liquidity that provides useful information to investors in understanding and evaluating the strength of its liquidity and future ability to generate cash that can be used for strategic opportunities or investing in its business in the same manner as MongoDB's management and board of directors. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as an analytical tool and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. In particular, other companies may report non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per share, free cash flow or similarly titled measures but calculate them differently, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, as presented below. This earnings press release and any future releases containing such non-GAAP reconciliations can also be found on the Investor Relations page of MongoDB's website at https://investors.mongodb.com . About MongoDB Headquartered in New York , MongoDB's mission is to empower innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data. Built by developers, for developers, MongoDB's developer data platform is a database with an integrated set of related services that allow development teams to address the growing requirements for today's wide variety of modern applications, all in a unified and consistent user experience. MongoDB has tens of thousands of customers in over 100 countries. The MongoDB database platform has been downloaded hundreds of millions of times since 2007, and there have been millions of builders trained through MongoDB University courses. To learn more, visit mongodb.com . Investor Relations Brian Denyeau ICR for MongoDB 646-277-1251 [email protected] Media Relations MongoDB [email protected] SOURCE MongoDB, Inc.
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The School Bus Market: Trends, Size, Share, Growth, and Demand by 2031PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The guy on the Philly sports talk radio station had something to say, and he started to vent about the perceived strained relationship between star quarterback Jalen Hurts and standout wide receiver A.J. Brown. Why weren’t these two Pro Bowl Eagles on the same page? Why had their personal and professional relationship changed even with Philadelphia enjoying tremendous success? It was football gossip usually ripe for a hot-take host or fed-up fan to stir up on the air — only in this instance, the temperature check came from inside the locker room. Normally respected team leader Brandon Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, noted in a radio appearance that “ things have changed ” between Hurts and Brown in the wake of a stale passing game in last week’s win over Carolina. An apologetic Graham walked back his comments. Hurts and Brown both insisted their relationship was cool in front of media hordes more appropriate for the Super Bowl. As for the rest of the Eagles, they were ready to squash the so-called controversy. “We are moving on,” offensive lineman and Christmas song crooner Jordan Mailata said. “It is the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Not the A.J. Brown and Jalen Show. It is the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s it.” Oh yeah, the Steelers! Lost in the brouhaha ignited in a Philly sports bar is the fact that sitting — and winning — on the western side of Pennsylvania are the Steelers (10-3). Unlike most matchups in series history, this one Sunday at the Linc comes with the tantalizing appeal of a potential Super Bowl preview. The Steelers have won seven of eight, and the Eagles (11-2) have won nine straight and could clinch the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss or tie. It's the first time the teams — among the original eight NFL teams — will play each other when they both have a double-digit win total. Both teams are in strong position for a playoff run — the Eagles led by Saquon Barkley and his pursuit of Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record; Russell Wilson and the soft-schedule Steelers atop the AFC North in large part thanks to six wins against teams that currently have losing records. “I do like playing really good people, I think there's growth in it,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “You've got to get the job done. But man, I think there's significant growth in pitting your collective talents and skills versus big-time opponents and they're certainly that.” Will the drama out of Philly this week affect the Eagles? They certainly don't think so and neither do the oddsmakers — the Eagles are 5 1/2-point favorites, per BetMGM. “What I’ve noticed about this football team is they’re so locked in and determined to get better each day,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We don’t really want anyone else talking to us about anything other than the Pittsburgh Steelers.” Good luck with that, Coach. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,623 yards, 216 yards ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. He is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace, and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, which would put him just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 in 1984. Barkley doesn’t need much of a reminder from his 2020 performance when, while playing for the New York Giants, he ran into a Pittsburgh defense that seemed reminiscent of its famed Steel Curtain. The Steelers held Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries. The Steelers will have to find a way forward against the NFL’s toughest defense without wide receiver George Pickens, who will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Pittsburgh survived last week against Cleveland, with Mike Williams and Scotty Miller — afterthoughts of late — coming off the bench to make an impact. While Tomlin believes “the strength of the pack is the pack,” the reality is the Steelers don’t have anyone who can stretch the field like Pickens, who leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (850) by a wide margin. It’s a challenge, but considering the way Wilson has spread the ball around — eight players caught passes against the Browns — he won’t lack for options. “Everybody in the receiver room has a different skill set, different strengths,” Calvin Austin III said. “The coaching staff knows that and they know how to put us in position to be able to show that.” The cross-state trip to Philadelphia, where the Steelers haven’t won in nearly 60 years, is the start of an 11-day stretch in which Pittsburgh faces three teams likely bound for the playoffs. While Tomlin is leaning into the “nameless, gray faces” mantra he uses for every opponent, his players know facing the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs in such a short period is a litmus test for what’s to come in January. “That’s why I’m in the league, period,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “When you sign up to play football, you want to play at the highest level. ... I love to play the game the right way. I think these next few games is going to show that and it starts with the Eagles.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
